This report has been issued on the evening of Sunday, February 2, at 10:00 p.m. It is based on field work performed, and observations received, over the weekend of February 1-2. It is to be used a baseline for formulating your own danger analysis over the next several days. An unsettled weather pattern is setting up for the upcoming week, with the first chance of new snow coming late Monday and into Tuesday. Any new snowfall, accompanied by wind, will cause the danger to rise.
La Sal Mountains
Clouds began streaming in this afternoon closing out what could have been one of the best days of the season. For those of you who packed the parking lot today, to get in your licks before the Super Bowl, good on you! Three days have passed since the storm, and the snow still remains unaffected by wind. Riding and skiing conditions are excellent, and I ran into Kirstin Peterson and Dave Schipper in Gold Basin demonstrating just how good they remain.
In addition, Reports of good riding and skiing conditions on all aspects have streamed in from all corners of the range. Thanks to Brian Murray, Mark Sevenoff, and and Sarah Topp for their observations. Snow totals from Friday's storm were heavily elevation dependent, with 5" at Geyser Pass trailhead, 7" in Gold Basin, and up to a foot of light to medium density snow at upper elevations. Most of the new snow fell without wind. Temperatures in the mountains on Sunday remained cold, getting up into the high teens, and only the most sun exposed aspects were affected.
Winds and Temperature on Pre-Laurel Peak (11,705')
Temperature and new snow totals in Gold Basin (10,050')
Total snow depth and temperature near Geyser Pass Trailhead (9850')
Abajo Mountains
More snow fell in the Abajo Mountains than previously reported with 9" of new observed at Dalton Springs near the North Creek Trailhead. I'll leave it to this great observation from Scott Watson to tell the story.
Winds and temperature on Abajo Peak (11,330')
Snow totals at Camp Jackson (8968')