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Observation: Gobblers

Observation Date
1/16/2013
Observer Name
Kikkert
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
Gobblers Knob
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
NW winds still blowing in the 20 mph range on the top of Gobblers Knob in the early AM. Pretty much as predicted, they only got strong right near 10,000'. There were some good plumes of snow off the summit ridge; however, the drifts I was able to stomp on (on S facing slopes) were shallow and would only crack out around my skis, without moving. Much of the snow blowing around seemed to just be sublimating in the cold dry air. That said, still avoided the steepest wind loaded slopes right off the summit.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Just up for a quick walk to Gobblers, lots of poking around with my poles and quick handpits between 9,000 and 10,000' trying to gauge the thickness of the melt freeze crust on SE - SW facing slopes, as well as the amount of snow above the crust. On SE facing slopes, the melt freeze crust is thinner and underlain by 4 finger facets (as described by Micheal Janulaitis on Sunday). Crust is much stouter on S and SW facing slopes. Generally about 10" of 4 finger snow on top of the melt freeze crust. Stability was good given the generally stout crusts and the lack of a slab. Exceptions would be wind loaded areas.

Photo of surface hoar at the Gobblers/Raymond saddle. Surface hoar and near surface faceting in almost all open areas, but really good surface hoar growth in semi-protected areas near ridgelines where the light breeze likely kept a moisture supply going.

Other photo is of wind transport of the ridge, mostly seemed to be sublimating, with just shallow drifts in the few areas I looked.