Observation Date
12/27/2012
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
PC ridgeline, Monitors
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northeast
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Cold and fairly calm in the morning, winds switching to NE and increasing by late afternoon. Sun peaked out a few times around 12pm, increasing clouds and snowfall later in the day.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
7"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Light density snow, right side up and non wind effected except on west facing such as Wills Hill wich had some large wind drifts on the face.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Poor Snowpack Structure
Comments

West Monitor had a natural avalanche on the skiers far right side of the bowl N NE facing, the slide looked to have happened yesterday, the crown was some what blown in and the debris was covered by a few inches of new snow. Crown was about 30ft wide and ran full distance to the flats. could not tell if it broke into old snow but by the size of the debris pile at the bottom it was either a large wind load of new snow or it broke into old snow. Pics crown, blown in debris pile at bottom. Poor lighting did not help the picture quality.

Only instabilities noted today were long running sluffs in steeper terrain, not packing much punch and fairly manageable. No cracking or collapsing either. Pics, sluffing in West Monitor, skier initiated and naturals.