Observation: Maybird Gulch

Observation Date
2/11/2016
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Maybird Gulch
Location Name or Route
Maybird
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Warm in the sun, not bad in the shade.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Damp or a melt-freeze crust on all southerly aspects depending on time of day, faceted loose mixed in with a breaking down wind crust on N facing upper Maybird.

Comments

Went to the upper Maybird headwall today in search of the last bastion of untracked cold dry snow and was not disappointed, the wind slabs are breaking down and faceting out at a rapid pace. I was in upper Red Pine on Tuesday and the surface of the snow has change quite a bit since then, cold clear nights and warm days have accelerated the faceting and the top 5 inches or so on the N end of the compass have rotted out to the degree that causes slippery conditions while skinning and loud powder. Wet activity was not very active on the SW or SE in the terrain covered, seems like what wanted to sluff out already did. Wets slabs on S facing seem to be the only worry.

Photos; Surface hoar, wet activity in upper Maybird W facing, Facet skiing

thinking low but you have to respect wet activity gonna be a warm one tomorrow

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low