Avalanche

Smiley/Beaver environs

Ben VandenBosSawtooth & Western Smoky Mtns
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Quick report

Collapsing
specific

Many unreported avalanches, see avalanche database entries. Shortest day of the year, a great day for a long walk. I traveled through miles and miles of untouched middle and upper elevation terrain. In sheltered terrain I did not experience any collapsing. In terrain affected by the wind I triggered about a half dozen small, confined collapses that did not travel far.

Snowpack

Important takehomes from observed avalanches: -Lots of activity during and after 12/18 wind event with crowns flanking out thanks to PWL involvement -Many crowns had two levels/layers, which appear to be the 12/7 and 12/13 weak layers. -No observed activity failing into our mid-November facets (basal weak layer). -A good amount of relatively small wet loose activity during 12/19 and 12/20 warm and sunny days. This is a hint into the nature of the 12/21-25 surface that we just buried..

Avalanche

Size
D2
Count
16
Aspect
N
Trigger
N
Elevation
9400 ft

During or shortly after wind cycle?