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Observation: Flagstaff Ridge

Observation Date
3/23/2018
Observer Name
Luke and Logan
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Flagstaff Ridge
Location Name or Route
Flagstaff area
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
Southeast
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
More wind than I thought...little breaks in sun but being spring any sun brings more intense heat. Beautiful afternoon weatherwise for a spring day.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
3"
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Melt-Freeze Crust
Rain-Rime Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Dig a couple inches and the snowpack was saturated regardless of rain or from the warm temps the last couple of days even up to the top of Flagstaff. Over that above 9500' was a veneer of good, if dense snow. Below that was already being affected by the heat, especially in the sun. Not bad riding conditions for spring, no face shots for sure.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
As we were up pretty high (relatively) although we sheared quite a few sections of the new snow off of the rain/crust layer they had no energy and didn't run at all. I would guess that the low amount of new snow helps with that unfortunately. Not gonna say it was good riding conditions, it was fun on a board though. Quite a warm storm with some obvious wind speeds even today.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
The heat and the rain made all levels up above even 10,000' quite heavy until the new snow fell which was also dense (roughly 10 percent water or more). In the wrong terrain this could break off with some heat. Aside: If the North faces haven't slide by now I doubt that a person's weight or force will bring it down with the water weight put on the snowpack even at altitude the last few days (depends how you feel about deep or persistent slabs though).
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Gliding Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Anything lower than 9000' definitely has water running underneath it...it was around freezing at Alta at 16:00. Decide how much you want to ski something that has a very dense layer of snow above a heat/rain crust if it has any new snow at all, over what kind of terrain is beneath the snowpack. Unless it becomes much colder in the next week I would bet the glide cracks open up and slides start happening very soon.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable