Obs-Snow Profile: Skyline 3/26/2011

Observer Name:

Darce Trotter Steve Cote

Region:

Skyline

Observation Date:

03/26/2011

Location or Route:

Bluebell Far East

Weather

Sky:

Clear

Wind Direction:

Southeast

Wind Speed:

Light

Weather Comments:

day started out clear, high clouds moved in mid-morning, light snow started early afternoon with diminishing visibility by 1400.

Temp really never warmed, but snow was settling and density was increasing in newer snow.

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Depth:

14"

New Snow Density:

Low

Snow Surface Conditions:

Powder

Snow Characteristic Comments:

graupel layers evident on hand pits, but no slab building in sheltered areas, tops of ridge were affected by wind with slabs forming as you would expect.

Red Flags

Wind Loading

Cracking

Red Flag Comments:

small soft slabs easily initiated with ski cut, <10"-14" X 30 wide, did not run far. Other ski cuts in steeper pockets would produce sluffs, not much more. we crossed and ski cut 40+steep slopes, but no slabs were present, and sluffs were not as active as a couple of days ago. Some die loading just off ridgelines would crack but not run. We were in the same path as avalanche fatality occurred a few years back, no so obvious loading pattern, encountered pillow well of ridge, cracked but did not move

Primary Concern

Primary Concern:

Wind Slabs

Aspect:

North

Northeast

Northwest

Elevation:

High

Trend:

More Dangerous

Primary Concern Comments:

winds were picking up and drifting in our entrance tracks, alot of snow still available to move. Graupel layer above the MF crust most likely the culprit in sensitive areas.

Elevation:

9800'

Aspect:

Northeast

Slope Angle:

snow_profile_location:

United States

39° 18' 34.0704" N, 111° 28' 22.4652" W

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 1)

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 2)

View of Bluebell area, we skiied on the far lookers left.

Observed Danger Rating:

Moderate

Forecast Danger Rating:

Moderate

Snow Profile Location

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