Snowpack

Central Sawtooths

Ben VandenBosSawtooth & Western Smoky Mtns
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Observation photo 1

Quick report

My primary avalanche concern were small wind slabs in very steep terrain. The slabs I encountered were unreactive, but this would have been the easiest way to getinto trouble today. Cooler temps and breezy westerly winds prevented a widespread wet snow problem from developing today, but if you really went looking for it (by riding in steep, rocky, sheltered middle elevation terrain) you probably could have found it. There is still a lot of relatively unconsolidated snow hanging out in lots of weird places in the sawtooth right now. There has not been a significant shedding of this snow yet in the days/weeks since Feb storms began. If/when we see much warmer temperatures and extended sunshine we are likely to see a much more widespread and deeper shed than the recent sunny days produced. Lots of monster cornices, lots of snow plastered into steep, rocky terrain, etc. 1/31 feels like an unlikely deep slab problem that should be in the process of healing. I haven't forgotten about it, but it would probably take a whopping load, very warm temps, or just the right terrain feature to have a problem. I observed a single D1 wet loose avalanche that happened in very specific terrain (sheltered middle elevation, extremely steep, rocky).

Snowpack

Yesterday's sun formed widespread crusts on solar aspects. Shaded slopes remained cool and dry. No significant new wind transport in past 24 hours.