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Observation: Summit Park

Observation Date
2/13/2017
Observer Name
Evelyn
Region
Salt Lake » Parleys Canyon » Summit Park
Location Name or Route
Summit Park
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Clear and calm, staying cool in the shade.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
5"
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Traveled from 7200' to 8600'. Settled new dry snow from about 3" to 7" depending on elevation, that has become loose and faceted, capped with surface hoar. It's sitting on a hard ice crust, all aspects. I did not get above the rain/snow line from the past storm. On that note, that ice crust below the snow is super hard and slick, and slide for life's are a concern. Ski crampons!
Sunny slopes are getting crusted, soften each day, freezing at night, and even getting surface hoar on top.
Comments
Pit below dug at 7,600', north facing. Looks like the rain soaked the snow all the way down to the surface hoar layer. It's thinned, flattened, and moist - yea. ECTN22 Could still see some of the surface hoar feathers, and a few still had striations. It's capped by an 8 inch thick ice layer (plus a bit of powder on top). Seems like this structure is now stable.
Dug around at 8600', but unfortunately not in the right place to find the buried surface hoar layer. Assuming it's still around in places, but it has so much strong snow above it, including the newest ice layer, I would think it would be very hard for a person trigger.
The newest crop of surface hoar (below) is flashy, but actually all the dry new snow is weakening and quite loose. So we want not only the surface hoar to be destroyed before the next storm, but also for the new snow to reverse it's faceting process - cloudy nights and warm temperatures would be helpful.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate