Observation Date
1/30/2017
Observer Name
Darce Trotter / Steve Cote
Region
Skyline » Huntington Canyon » Electric Lake
Location Name or Route
Electric Lake Bowl
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Nuclear NE/N winds have had their way with the Wasatch Plateau. Most open terrain (which is a majority of the area) has been wind jacked by N winds, even blowing up slope in usual protected areas, and ending the go anywhere and ski/ride anything, but wow, it was good while it lasted.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Don't get me wrong, there are still very protected areas lower down in trees that were loud powder, and we even got into what CG has referred to as Porn, rapidly warming E facing slopes were creamy and thick at mid morning, but by afternoon were already setting up with surface MF layer. South facing rollers were everywhere as the sun warmed things up, so in summary, if you can think of any type snow condition it was out there today. The challenge was reading where it changed, because it was not so apparent, and getting thrown into the back seat or over the bars was a roll of the dice.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
wet slides on south slopes were the only activity we saw today, and it was warm, warm, warm above the inversion for the second day in a row.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Sun is higher in the sky and days are longer as we move into February, lower elevation down canyon was nearly all roller balled out as we came down early afternoon
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
We chose to poke around in sheltered N facing looking for persistent weak layers down in the pack. Old surface hoar layer was still there where we looked, see video on ECT below, this is likely healing with time and warmer temps
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northeast
Elevation
9,400'
Slope Angle
30°
Comments
Buried surface hoar still intact, down at 163 cm, ECT 22 Q1, and healing
we did not dig much below the old frozen graupel layer at 118 cm, pack seems in good shape overall, just time for new snow. Surface was highly variable with pockets of surface hoar, wind board, sastrugi, old worn cornices, and dampening snow from daytime heat.
Video
Video
FORECASTER COMMENTS: This is the the only full propagation that I've seen in any tests over the last four days. I've traveled from Pleasant Creek down to 12 Mile Canyon and found this layer to be stubborn with no clean shears.
Wind crusts from upslope N winds
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates
