Avalanche

Smiley - Ketchum

VandenBosSoldier & Wood River Valley Mtns
View on map

Weather

Skies varied between overcast/obscured and partly cloudy. Periods of direct sunshine were short, and occurred a few times throughout the day (around 0900, 1100, 1300, 1600). Skies were clearing completely on my drive back north around 1900.

Snowpack

I was looking for avalanche activity and snow/wind characteristics along the highway corridor. Visibility was generally poor, but I was able to see some large avalanches that had failed naturally during times of improved visibility. 

Lots of slightly older wind cleaning and stripping evident along the highway corridor, but most recent wind deposits were soft. Quite a bit of snow left in the trees on the pass and in the Boulders, with much less on W/SW sides of trees (wind cleaned). It is clear visually that we just went through a prolonged wind+snow event with winds blowing pretty steadily from the SW. 

Avalanche

Size
D2.5
Count
3
Aspect
SE
Trigger
N
Elevation
10200 ft

Viewed from a distance in marginal light, but there appeared to be a fairly sizable crown on a cross-loaded feature here.