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Observation: Porter Fork

Observation Date
1/29/2013
Observer Name
Fred
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
Porter Fork to main P.F.
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Weather Comments
Light snow but clearing in the afternoon. Occasional wind but no real sustained action.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
8"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Total snow depth up to 20" from Monday and last night. Density inversion noted with the heavy 5% snow sitting on the fluffy 3% from yesterday.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Red Flags Comments
No cracking of collapsing noted all day. Lots of snow. IF we get what is in the forecast all will change. Noticed a lot of sluffing today. The entire bowl between Neff's Knobs was filled with sluffs but no crowns noted.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments

Density inversion with the slightly more dense snow sluffing on the lighter snow from yesterday. Wide spread.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #2 Comments

There are buried facets found everywhere. Most are covered with a fairly stout cap. Unlike Trent's finding in Mineral I could not get a clean shear below this thin ice layer and did not have any collapsing at all today.

Graupel absent for the most part in this area today.

Comments

Dug two pits one at 8k and one at 8900k. Lots of spatial variability. Thin weak snow found near W. Porter pass but no real load on it for now.

Attached pics of two pits and some sluffage from ski descent and natural activity.