Observation Date
3/3/2017
Observer Name
Toddeo
Region
Southwest » Pahvant Range » Maple Hollow
Location Name or Route
Pahvants - Maple Hollow/Johnson Canyon Burn
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Warm day, slight south breeze on occasion.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Mixed bag, almost got to check all the boxes!
Norths were holding up above 8,000' feet or so but only with about 30 degrees of north. High east and west aspects got damp and will be crusted tomorrow.
Corn below 7,000 on my exit.
There was an inch or so of wind deposited snow in my skin track from Tuesday.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
Rapid warming was my only real concern today.
Some sluffing on slopes approaching 40 degrees and above. minor and manageable, mostly loose facets and surface snow.
I crossed a few areas with buried wind slabs as I noted earlier in the week but everything seemed unreactive.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
This is the one reason I would not say low danger in this area.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Normal Caution
Problem #2 Comments
Typical normal caution is warranted. There are areas of very thin snow and buried wood in the burn areas below 7,800'. I did not exit out of the burn area for this reason.
Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
9,000'
Slope Angle
30°
Comments
About 14" above the rain crust in this area. ECTN, column collapsed.
Photos below:
1. settlement cones on a north aspect.
2. terrain skied (se of it)
3. Mt Wheeler is looking very white (for Hardesty)
4. time to exit the gully.
Overall I am trending towards low danger, I certainly traveled that way today and skied some steep lines. However the warm weather concerns me and am sticking with moderate in this area.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
