Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
November 11, 2022
Submitted:
November 12, 2022
Observer:
SAC - VandenBos (off duty)
Zone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern Mtns
Location:
Butterfield (6,800'-9,400', NE-E-SE-S)

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
Isolated
Collapsing? 
Isolated
Experienced a single, relatively small collapse on a wind-loaded ridge that held old snow at the base of the snowpack.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Clear skies, cold temperatures, light winds. Moderate temperature inversion was evident in the morning.

Avalanche Observations

I spent some time glassing and did not observe any new avalanches. I did find a small, steep road cut that had avalanched naturally during the past week's storms. It appeared to have failed on mid-storm interface.

Snowpack Observations

I dug two pits and did lots of pole-probing and hand-pitting, trying to get a better handle on how the interface at the top of the older snow is behaving. As I wrapped from E to NE to N this interface looked worse, with better-developed facets and less moisture in the snow. This layer produced variable snowpack test scores, with lots of ECTNs in the teens. However, a few propagating ECTs (ECTP 11 and 15) are all I need to continue tip-toeing around steep slopes holding this snow. There is also an interface in the upper snowpack (down 20-25cm) that produced some easy breaks and moderately clean shears (likely formed 11/6 and buried that evening). There isn't enough of a slab on this for it to be a widespread problem, and I'd expect this interface to heal relatively quickly.

Snowpit dug at 9,200' on an E/NE-facing slope