Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
January 12, 2022
Submitted:
January 12, 2022
Observer:
SAC - Davis
Zone or Region:
Soldier and Wood River Valley Mtns
Location:
Shaw Mtn (SW-S-E-NE, 7,100-8,100')

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
Yes
Cracking? 
None Experienced
Collapsing? 
None Experienced
Small wet loose from yesterday and some today. None larger than D1.

Snow Stability

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

Bottom Line

Triggering an avalanche seemed unlikely in this area. I observed lots of avalanche terrain, and only saw a couple of small wind slab pockets, and a couple of cornice breaks that looked to have run around January 6th. I observed very small wet loose avalanches on steep south-facing terrain from yesterday and today. Weak snow near the ground on shaded middle and upper elevations is the problem that would still influence my terrain choices.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Partly Cloudy
Temperature:
35-40 F
Wind:
Light , W

It was take off your shirt hot. Dollarhide hit 40 F. It's been above freezing there for ~18 hrs. Very light wind from the W. No snow left to transport via W or NW winds. HEAVILY winded/stripped alpine ridges. Sunny in the AM, high clouds moved in around 2 PM.

Avalanche Observations

Small wind slabs (D1) on cross-loaded N-facing terrain above Warm Springs Rd that looked to have run around the 6th. Small (D1 or less) wet loose avalanches. Some had run in the previous day (or two?) and others ran today. All very small. None involving more than the upper 15-20 cm of snow.

Snowpack Observations

My objectives today were to assess natural activity from the last storm along the southern crest of the Smokys, investigate 1/3 interface on souths, and check in on 12/11 on shaded slopes.

My feeling, based on very little avalanche activity (but also admittedly few obs from this zone) is that the last storm didn't quite have the right mix of storm totals/intensity and 1/3 weak layer to produce much from Dollarhide to the Soldiers. Now the slab above that interface has had time to rest, is only 30-40 cm thick, and is healing quickly with warm temps.

I was expecting to find a more concerning 12/11 layer than I did. I don't doubt it's out there, but again, we haven't seen the same type of large avalanches in this zone on this layer during the past two storms that we've seen further north. Only 3 slides of around D2 are in the database on 12/11 in this zone this season. Slab depth above this layer was ~115-135 cm at the low end of where it's expected to exist.

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@8,000', NE: HS 135-155cm.
F 155-125
4F 125-95
1F 95-45
1F+ 45-25
25-0 -- A few centimeters of 1F- old Oct facets and polycrystals sitting on an ice mass.

ECTN8 down 15 at a mid-storm layer
Prying on block fractured at 95 cm, (12/19)?
Broke at the ground eventually after wailing on the column.

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@7,800', SW: HS 115-125cm.
F 115-95
4F 95-80
1F 80-0

ECTN3 down 15 at a mid-storm layer of preserved dendrites.
ECTN24 down 35 cm (1/3), dirty shears.
No Oct snow or obvious weaknesses/shears below 1/3.

Avalanche Problems

Problem Location Distribution Sensitivity Size Comments
Persistent Slab
Isolated
Specific
Widespread
Unreactive
Stubborn
Reactive
Touchy
D1
D1.5
D2
D2.5
D3
D3.5
D4
D4.5
D5
 Layer Depth/Date: >110 cm
Weak Layer(s): Dec 11, 2021 (FC)
Comments: Shaded where expected based on weather and regional patterns. This seems unlikely to trigger based on a lack of avalanches in the last two storms, age of the layer and relative limited distribution of this layer in this zone.

Terrain Use

I chose conservative terrain considering solo travel, uncertainty about 1/3 on souths, as well as 12/11 on shaded aspects. Under different circumstances, I would have felt comfortable skiing most of the terrain I saw today with few exceptions (mainly concerning 12/11).