Lawinenlagebericht

Elkhorns

Wallowa Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Mon
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
2 · Mässig
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 5 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Warm temperatures and sunny skies will impact the snow surface today increasing the possibility of triggering  wet loose avalanches on sunny aspects in steep terrain.  If you find yourself sinking up to your boot tops while skinning or walking off of your machine, it's time to move to lower angle slopes and shadier aspects.  As this week's snow settles more into a cohesive slab, while unlikely-there remains the possibility of triggering a deeper slab avalanche that could break over a foot deep where weak snowpack structure exists in the upper snowpack. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Loose Wet

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–2

    The high temperature is forecasted to be 40 degrees today with plenty of sun in the sky to warm up the snow surface.  This will create the potential to trigger a wet loose avalanche in the new snow.   The new snow sits atop crusts on south and west aspects that will make an ideal bed surface for wet loose avalanches.  Likely places to trigger a wet loose avalanche will be near rocks and on slopes steeper than 35 degrees.  If you see signs of the new snow becoming uncohesive such as pinwheels/rollerballs, point releases out of steep rocky areas, or sinking up to your boot tops in wet loose snow, it is time to seek lower angle terrain on a shadier aspect.  Make an exit plan where you can avoid travelling underneath solar aspects in the afternoon hours.  

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Unlikely
    Größe
    1–2

    A weak upper snowpack structure exists in the Elkhorns.  We need to have a cohesive enough slab to see avalanches on the weak snow that surrounds the 1/20 and 1/6 crusts.  So far, we haven't really seen enough cohesion in the new snow to create these conditions.  However, with time and warmer weather, our new snow will gain strength into more of a slab.  Before comitting to slopes steeper than 35 degrees, it could be a good idea to take the time to dig in a safe location that is representative of the slope you are looking to ride.  Look for the strong over weak avalanche sandwhich. 

Avalanche Discussion

Yesterday, observers found the new snow to be settled into a 15" depth from the snow surface. See the photo from Kelly McNeil below of the upper snowpack structure on a West aspect at 7500' near Anthony Lakes.   The 1/6 crust could be found just under 2 feet from the snow surface.  Compression test results should sudden failures on the new/old interface as well as in weak faceted snow below the 1/6 crust.  Extended column tests showed failures, but no propagation in this location.  Propagating ECT results have been observed in this area prior to last week's storm.  While we have a developing persistent slab problem, it is a good idea to realize that you are dealing with a low probablity/high consequence event.   If your uncertainty is high, hedge your bets and create margin through safe terrain selection.  

Thanks for the observations, and keep them coming! Click here to submit an observation. 

Happening this weekend......The Eastern Oregon Backcountry Festival at Anthony Lakes! 

Today's events include: 

  • WAC forecasting team led ski/splitboard tours into Angel Basin

More information on the events for the weekend can be found here.

Online Auction and Raffle -Similar to last winter we are having an online auction and raffle with some amazing prizes.  Thanks to all of the local generosity for putting together some sweet donation items.  You can go to the Auction here.  All proceeds will help cover the cost of avalanche forecasting this winter.  Also, be sure to check out some of our new WAC Apparel in our online store.  

Forecast presented by @onxbackcountry. onXbackcountry is a GPS navigation and mapping tool designed with your backcountry objectives in mind, equipped with Avalanche Forecast and Slope Angle layers, Offline maps and more.

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