Observation: Monte Cristo

Observation Date

1/22/2026

Observer Name

Kaufmann

Region

Ogden » Monte Cristo

Location Name or Route

Pit 22

Weather

Sky

Scattered

Wind Speed

Calm

Weather Comments

Beautiful out there today. -5C at 8500' at 14:00. High polars remained cold with relatively little wind today. Lower down, rocks had fallen onto the road from a road cut while I was out there so the sun was out to play on low solars (about 7500', steep).

Snow Characteristics

Snow Surface Conditions

Powder

Dense Loose

Faceted Loose

Wind Crust

Melt-Freeze Crust

Snow Characteristics Comments

Mix of snow surfaces today. Mostly what you'd expect. Polars are soft and weakening, solars are sun affected, windward aspects stripped, leeward previously loaded and now reaching a happy equilibrium. Protected and previously loaded high elevation terrain yielded great turns but coverage is still thin (obviously).

Dug a pit NNW 8500' -- linked below.

Red Flags

Poor Snowpack Structure

Red Flags Comments

I went looking for poor structure or what will become problematic if it snows ever again... SH in isolated locations... NSF in specific locations... one can only hope our next storm comes with some energy to at least knock out one of these...

Snow Profile

Aspect

Northwest

Elevation

8,500'

Slope Angle

15°