Quick report
- Cracking
- specific
- Collapsing
- widespread
Our quick tour in the Galena Summit area clearly illustrated actively increasing avalanche danger. We found 1.5-2 feet (50-70cm) of new snow sitting atop a variety of weak surfaces. We observed a few natural avalanches and heard reports of skier triggered avalanches in the area. Furthermore, we noticed an increase in the quantity and size of collapses as the afternoon went on and snowfall continued to pile up. Given the obvious signs of instability, we avoided all avalanche terrain today.
Cracking limited to subtly wind-affected terrain. Widespread collapsing increasing in frequency and size throughout tour.Weather
- Air Temp
- 29
- Cloud Cover
- obscured
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 50
- Snow Avail For Transport
- large amounts
S1-S3 snowfall rates between 12:30pm and 5pm with calm winds and slowly increasing temperatures
Snowpack
50-70cm HST with S1-S3 snowfall rates observed. Found buried SH at old/new interface on E aspect at 8700' but nowhere else. Also dug on NW and S aspects with similar storm snow totals resting on a uniformly weak faceted snowpack.
Avalanche
3x small road cut storm slab avalanches ~50cm thick (one hit the road) observed on drive down and mentioned in other observations. 1x D1.5-D2 natural storm slab avalanche observed at 8900' (pictured).