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Observation: Park City Ridgeline

Observation Date
12/25/2020
Observer Name
Hardesty and Wilson
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline
Location Name or Route
Park City Ridge Line
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Winds went from calm to light from the southwest ahead of the next storm.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Snow surfaces weakening under the shortwave ridge. Small grained SH exists in the usual areas (basins, etc). RR and Diurnal squares exist on many other aspects. Would be worth watching to see if this next impulse insulates these weaknesses. Sluffing may be likely in steep southerlies, running on surface squares...if we see the upper end of snow amounts with this next impulse.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
We noted the checked red flags in our travels today.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
We remotely triggered a SS-ASr-1.5 while walking the ridgeline above the Red Rock Chutes area on the PC ridgeline. East facing at 9500'. Avalanche observation HERE>. The slide broke perhaps 100' below the ridgeline and was 14"deep and 60' wide. Spiderwebs broke out from the crown up to near the ridgeline. We experienced a shy collapse just prior to the avalanche releasing.
I also collapsing two pockety wind slabs over facets on steep west facing terrain at 9850'; just below the 9990' peak. Profile below. Collapsing due to a particularly wind loaded area sitting above weak facets.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable