Observation: Park City Ridgeline

Observation Date
1/24/2017
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline
Location Name or Route
PC Ridgeline
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Cold with overcast skies and vey light snowfall not adding up to anything, light NW winds.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
11"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

Ten inches of light density snow sitting on top of a supportable base.

Comments

The upside down and inverted snow pack from yesterday has settled out enough that breaking trail and skiing has improved drastically, don't get me wrong, the snow pack is still inverted but it has settled out enough that you wouldn't break through the dense snow from Sunday night, Monday morning into the lighter density from before on skis, but when the skis came of to put skins on the boot penetration is about thigh deep breaking into the lighter density snow. It's still going to take some time for all this snow to settle out and stabilize. I'm not trusting the snow pack on steep slopes right now on any aspect because of this density inversion, had one very large and loud collapse on south facing at about 9600ft and if there is anything that tells you the snow pack hasn't stabilized yet its a denser slab collapsing on light density snow below it. The cornices have also changed character they are no longer super sensitive and release on approach, they have become denser, stiffer and more stubborn, but when they go they are breaking back farther than usual and dropping a serious, heavy load on the slope.

Photos: cornice drop on the east side of Scotts Hill, overhanging cornice line on the PC Ridgeline

I'm thinking time and settlement will solve most instabilities, but the mid and low elevation sheltered still might be suspect if they have any of the pockety buried surface hoar.

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