Quick report
- Collapsing
- isolated
Weather
- Air Temp
- 32
- Cloud Cover
- few
It was snowing lightly when we left the trailhead. The sun broke through midday. It began snowing lightly on our drive over Targhee Pass and over to Island Park.
Snowpack
We triggered an avalanche on the bed surface of an older slide. Today's avalanche failed on a layer of facets, as did the old slide. We looked at a second path that released on persistent weak layers a week ago or so. That was the only propagating ECT we had for the day (ECTP23). For now, we recommend considering all paths potential repeat offenders.
We dug several pits throughout the day at Ski Hill, Chabot's Corner (around from Airplane Bowl), and at the two avalanche sites. The highest elevation site was at the divide between Watkins and Targhee Creeks.
- It seems like the higher elevations are harboring weaker snow.
- Warm temperatures forced a rapid evolution of the snowpack and improved the structure.
- Given all the recent avalanches (1-2 weeks old + the one we triggered today), it seems prudent to let this storm cycle play out, the snowpack will show its hand, and moving forward, it seems like stability has improved.
Currently, we have enough potential for wind slab and storm slab avalanches to justify the CONSIDERABLE danger rating, and we'll see how the persistent slab problem plays out.
Avalanche
We went to the crown of an avalanche to investigate an older slide. Mark was walking down to the crown, heard a collapse, and watched an avalanche speed through the trees on the old bed surface. There was a layer of facets that the avalanche broke on. It makes repeat avalanches on paths that have already slid a distinct possibility.