UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!
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Observation: Rock Creek

Observation Date
2/2/2018
Observer Name
Toby Weed
Region
Logan » Blacksmith Fork » Rock Creek
Location Name or Route
Hardware Ranch,Rock Creek, Baxter Sawmill, Curtis Creek
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Strong
Weather Comments
Some snow showers, cloudy, flat light, mild temperatures, and quite windy in exposed terrain.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Rain-Rime Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Snow still nice and soft, powder-like in forest and sheltered upper elevation terrain. Rime crust on open slopes. MF crust or damp surface snow at lower and mid elevations. Very shallow snow melting out at lower elevations and in sunny terrain.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments

A couple buried persistent layers exist, but these appear dormant currently. A large loading event in the future could easily reactivate the buried surface hoar or deep mid-pack facets...

Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
8,400'
Slope Angle
24°
Comments

Old pockets of persistent slab avalanches above the Curtis Creek Rd, likely pulled out by the groomer a couple weeks ago.

A couple persistent weak layers are visible in this pit. The upper one, about 10 inches below the surface is buried surface hoar, which is widespread in the Monte Cristo Range.

Well developed and fairly large (3 mm) facets elevated about 1.5' above the ground by hard November snow. My test results in this layer show full propagation, but quite a lot of force is required to make it fail (26 taps)

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates