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Observation: Hogum

Observation Date
2/13/2016
Observer Name
Toddeo
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Hogum
Location Name or Route
Hogum/Bells/Perlas
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Cool and breezy in the early am warm, calm and sunny in the afternoon. Some trasport on the maybird/Hogum Divide at 10am.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Mixed bag, decent refreeze, White Pine to Maybird skin track was frozen and not very pleasant to walk on this morning. We exited Hogum to Thunder bowl at 12.30 pm, any earlier and the old skin track we followed in part would have been frozen and very slick. We also found found much wet isothermal snow around rocks up to 10,750' while booting up to Thunder Bowl from Hogum. Still finding dry snow on north aspects down to 7700' in Bells, this snow is weak and getting weaker (photo below). South facing aspects from 7700 to 8700 in Bells was wet and isothermal to the ground (photo below).

Most surfaces in Hogum consisted of various wind impacted forms including wind crusts and sastrugi (photo below), no powder.

If current trends in Wasangles continue the observation form will need to include hard-pack and moguls, this was the primary surface in Perlas, Yikes! We earned our slide slipping merit badges and possible Eagle Scout certification today, still easier than skiing/walking out Bells!!

Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
While we did not see much in terms of red flags today, our primary concern was the warm weather, I think the cool cloudy morning and refreeze helped keep the hazard down on upper elevation south aspects. I am calling the isothermal snow we saw today a poor snowpack structure, We wold not have walked through the snow we encountered on the climb to Perlas if it was on a large open slope greater than 35 degrees or so.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Normal Caution
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

Normal caution for warm weather travel.

Comments

Photos below:

1-Wind affected snow in Upper Hogum;

2- Gang skiing and photography? in the Hypodermic Needle, hopefully a sign of stable conditions;

3-Booting thru thin, isothermal snow in Upper Hogum;

4- Glide Bergshrund in Upper Hogum.

More Photos:

1-Skiing wind board in Thunder Bowl;

2- Sinking in wet isothermal snow, Bells Canyon, It was easy to push a pole basket to the ground in this area, HS=24-36";

3- Low snow on the NW Shot of the might Pfeifferhorn;

4-Facets and obstacles in Bells Canyon, North facing.

Overall I think I might be close to saying low danger but the warm weather concerns me. Danger in Perlas is low, about the same as it would be on High Rustler or Great Scott.

Note: In the past I would never have considered mentioning Perlas in an observation, I think that time is past.

Generally low with pockets of Moderate.

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