Public Observation
Observation Details
Observation Date:
January 9, 2022Submitted:
January 10, 2022Zone or Region:
Activity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Big Saint Joe, BitterrootObserved Avalanches
Did you observe any avalanches?
YesAvalanche Type:
Soft SlabSize:
Size 3: Could bury and destroy a car, damage a truck, destroy a wood frame house, or break a few treesElevation:
8000 - 9500 crown elevaionsAspect:
Comments:
Multiple crowns observed. N. face of the West bowl of Lappi had a large crown near the ridge line. The entire Southeast bowl of Big Saint Joe avalanched during the storm last week. Crowns around the entire head of the bowl. Debris extended slightly farther down the Southeast ramp than usual - it was a pretty big slide. There were presumably some smaller naturals that happened during the storm where debris had already been buried by subsequent snow and wind.Signs of Unstable Snow
Did you see shooting cracks?
Yes, IsolatedDid you experience collapsing or whumpfing?
NoObservations
We skied Big Saint Joe in Bass creek on Sunday via the Southeast ramp. Natural observations are noted above. We dug a quick low elevation pit at 6,000 feet on a steep south facing wind protected site to assess steep terrain required to gain the upper mountain. We did not dig a pit in a more conventional mid-elevation location. Total snow depths were about 150 cm. Test results were ECTN11 25 cm down from the surface (I think this was the Friday precipitation interface) and ECT14 40 cm down (I think this was a density change on cold snow from the beginning of last week's large precipitation event). We were also getting isolated cracking around switchbacks, indicating the new snow had not stabilized quite yet.
We observed little to no cracking or acute signs of instability at mid and upper elevations, but we also weren't on steep terrain. Based on not hearing any collapsing, no signs of post-storm avalanche activity, our intuitive sense was that the snowpack was handling the massive load fairly well, and that new snow was stabilizing rapidly, but that the new snow had not stabilized quite yet.
Temperatures were inverted, and we did not note any surface hoar growth.
Snow coverage in Bass creek is really good.
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