Obs-Snow Profile: Millicent Peak 12/5/2010

Observer Name:

brandondodge

Region:

Millicent Peak
Brighton
Big Cottonwood Canyon
Salt Lake

Observation Date:

12/05/2010

Location or Route:

Upper millicent bowl (unskied closed terrain)

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Depth:

New Snow Density:

Medium

Snow Surface Conditions:

Dense Loose

Damp

Snow Characteristic Comments:

Today was a beautiful day to be out. Air temps 8C and very light SW winds. Snow surface was firm and suportable with a little evidence of past wind damage. We observed no red flags. Warm ambient air temps and solar warming made surface damp by midday.

Elevation:

10200'

Aspect:

Northeast

Slope Angle:

snow_profile_location:

United States

40° 35' 31.4052" N, 111° 35' 46.3308" W

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 1)

We excavated four snow pits in the upper milly bowl area today. Pack seems pretty consistant with deeper areas where SW winds deposited snow and in mid slope areas, where grauple pooling and/or high ridge top winds deposited snow. ECT and CT tests showed failures with-in facets just below a surface crust and with-in the grauple layer. Propigation occured in both these locations with out much energy, but did produce clean shears. Near surface crust appeared to be capping temp-gradient with large (2-3mm) facets forming below it. Also found faceted snow near the ground to be very damp (sticking to shovel). Overall pack seems to be in exellent shape for the time of year.

Photo shows propigation of ECT 26 Q1 in grauple layer

Observed Danger Rating:

Low

Forecast Danger Rating:

Low

Snow Profile Location

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