Obs-Snow Profile: Greens Basin 2/5/2012

Observer Name:

Paradis / Brackelsberg

Observation Date:

02/05/2012

Region:

Salt Lake
Big Cottonwood Canyon
Greens Basin

Location or Route:

Greens Basin

Weather

Sky:

Clear

Weather Comments:

Beautiful sunny weather.

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Depth:

New Snow Density:

Low

Snow Surface Conditions:

Powder

Snow Characteristic Comments:

Small storms from earlier in week refreshed the snow surface.

Red Flags

Red Flag Comments:

None, other than snow structure.

Primary Concern

Primary Concern:

Deep Slabs

Probability:

Moderate

Aspect:

North

Northeast

East

West

Northwest

Elevation:

High

Mid

Trend:

Same

Primary Concern Comments:

The snow structure remains poor with a nearly 3 foot deep slab resting on very weak facets. This more northerly aspect appeared to be weaker & more reactive than other aspects we've observed.

Elevation:

9200'

Aspect:

North

Slope Angle:

snow_profile_location:

United States

40° 37' 31.9764" N, 111° 37' 51.78" W

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 1)

We dug this pit above one of the many small pockets in Greens Basin that released during the large storm Jan18th-20th. In many cases, these old slides had released in openings large enough for only a few turns. One larger avalanche produced debris perhaps 5 feet deep in what is often considered safe terrain. As observed in the video, failure in snow pit tests produced clean, fairly fast shears.

Video 1:

Observed Danger Rating:

Considerable

Forecast Danger Rating:

Considerable

Snow Profile Location

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