Observation: Alta Periphery

Observation Date
12/6/2017
Observer Name
Hardesty, Dunn
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Alta Periphery
Location Name or Route
Rocky Point
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northeast
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Cold in the shade (low teens) aided and abetted by chilly northeasterly winds.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
  • Excellent riding conditions in sun and wind sheltered terrain. The high south facing into Dry Fork remained cold powder.
  • Northeasterly winds moving some snow and encountered some cornice development and isolated pockets of hard wind slab though not enough to be a problem in our travels.
  • Southerly aspects at lower elevations did become damp and were crusted over not long the sun went down.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #1 Comments

The trace to an inch of faceted snow from the end of November was eroded from Sunday's strong pre-frontal winds. Weaknesses noted beneath the Thanksgiving crust, but not teased out through snow tests. Basal snow as weak as I've seen across the range. Seems mostly dormant and unreactive, but for very isolated high shady alpine terrain where wind loading has played a role.

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