Observation: Snake Creek

Observation Date
2/28/2021
Observer Name
Porter
Region
Provo » Snake Creek
Location Name or Route
Snake Creek
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Comments
HS ranges from 120cm - 170cm from Snake Creek to Pole Line Pass. 15-25cm storm total for the new snow, with the higer amounts to the northern end of the canyon. Obvious signs of recent wind loading and scouring were everywhere on the ridges, but we saw no avalanche activity today. We skied low angle E and SE facing slopes from 8k' to 9,500' and none of it had been affected by the wind or the sun. Sky was mostly broken with on and off light snow, but no real accumulation, occasional moments of sun. As of 14:00 when we headed home nothing had gotten cooked by the sun, and temps remained below freezing all day. Of course pretty much everywhere has depth hoar, so even though we're not getting collapses and whoomphing anymore, I dont trust the structure and am staying low angle for the foreseeable future. Lots of people ventured out onto bigger steeper slopes with no avalanches today that we saw, so this confirms that it's getting harder to trigger an avalanche on the depth hoar, but with the variability in HS in this region, I think it's just a matter of time before someone finds a weak spot and triggers something large.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates