Pro Field Report
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
January 4, 2021Submitted:
January 5, 2021Observer:
SAC - VandenBos, CreelmanZone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern MtnsLocation:
Mushroom Ridge (7,600-9,300', primarily southern half of the compass)Signs of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
None ObservedCracking?
IsolatedCollapsing?
Isolated
Collapsing and cracking isolated to untraveled terrain, which there isn't much of. That said, everywhere we went that didn't have sign of earlier passage produced cracks and slope collapses that propagated out to the end of sight. I'm pretty confident we would have seen widespread collapsing in untraveled terrain.
Snow Stability
Stability Rating:
PoorConfidence in Rating:
HighStability Trend:
WorseningBottom Line
Storm arrived later than forecast, but was producing significant moisture by early afternoon. Even with a small load stability decreased rapidly. Based on weather station data, stability continued to decrease later in the evening and overnight.
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
ObscuredWind:
Light , SWNew/Recent Snowfall:
15cm new snow by nightfallSnowing S2 through duration of tour. Winds audible aloft and blowing plenty of snow at highway level on the drive south from Stanley. Light winds blowing along ridge.
Avalanche Observations
None observed, zero visibility.
Snowpack Observations
Slab on top of 12/11 facets is 45-50cm thick in this area. The entirety of the slab is in the 4F- to F- range. Very soft slab was propagating fractures despite this.
Avalanche Problems
| Problem | Location | Distribution | Sensitivity | Size | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Persistent Slab
|
|
Layer Depth/Date: down 45-50cm Weak Layer(s): Dec 11, 2020 (FCsf) |
Terrain Use
We avoided avalanche terrain.