Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
March 22, 2021
Submitted:
March 23, 2021
Observer:
SAC - VandenBos (off duty)
Zone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern Mtns
Location:
Galena Peak (7,300-11,000)

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
None Experienced
Collapsing? 
None Experienced
No hard signs of instability observed.

Snow Stability

Stability Rating: 
Good
Confidence in Rating: 
Moderate
Stability Trend: 

Bottom Line

Cool temperatures and cloud cover prevented any wet loose problems while I was in the field. Wind slabs were quite small and generally unreactive, though one might be able to knock you off your feet if you encountered it in the wrong terrain.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Mostly Cloudy
Wind:
Moderate , W
New/Recent Snowfall:
1-2cm at highway, 2-4cm at upper elevations

Field obs from 1200-1500: passing waves of moisture brought S-1 to S2 flurries, light to moderate winds out of the west, and brief periods of direct sun. Snow throughout the day tallied 1-2cm at highway level and 2-4cm at upper elevations.

Avalanche Observations

No recent avalanches observed, though visibility was poor.

Snowpack Observations

Combination of cloud cover and wind kept most middle and upper elevation snow surfaces cold while I was out today. At lower elevations, short windows of sun allowed for some brief melting of surficial snow that quickly refroze. On solars, the weekend's snowfall had been pretty well cooked on to the crusts below. Snowfall totals over the past few days equaled around 15cm. When wet loose becomes a problem it will likely involve only this upper 15cm of new snow at first. I suspect it will take a pretty warm day or some weak overnight freezes before we see activity deeper than that.

Winds had reworked much of the snow from the past few days, but I didn't really encounter a wind slab problem. The slabs I encountered were thin (10-20cm), isolated, and unreactive. Light to moderate winds along upper elevation ridgelines were continuing to slowly build some small fresh slabs during the day.

Avalanche Problems

Wet loose didn't become a problem today. Wind slabs I encountered were thin, isolated, and unreactive.