Observation: Salt Lake

Observation Date
1/26/2013
Observer Name
Jake Hutchinson/AAI Level 2
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
White Pine
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
South
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Weather was mostly enjoyable, light to moderate snowfall began around 3:30 PM. winds never really seemed to materialize other than a gust here and there.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
5"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
New snow from last 24 hours or so varied from 2" to 8". Very dense mix of rimed particles, small graupel and needles
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Red Flags Comments
Talked to a party of two that unintentionally triggered a pocket on NE facing Red Baldy. Sounds like 8-14" deep about 50' wide. Guess is a wind pocket that poorly bonded to old surface, but never saw it. Another group in our course did witness the sldie. Otherwise snowpack seemed fairly bomber.
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northeast
Elevation
9,700'
Slope Angle
24°
Comments

We dug some other pits above 10,500' in the saddle below Lake peak, just below the ridge dividing Red and White pine. Facets were weaker and more developed, tests showed the possibility to trigger a slab, we just didn't have much of a slab in our pit locations. I think the facets still demand respect but seem to need a bigger load. Did get one ECTP on basal facets in a thin area around 10k but it took 4 boot stomps to motivate it to move. Moderate to good strength, low propagation propensity and moderate/fair structure, I guess we will wait and see how the NSF reacts to tomorrows snow and wind.

Coordinates