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Observation: First Waterfall Hollow

Observation Date
2/27/2013
Observer Name
Weed
Region
Logan
Location Name or Route
First Waterfall/Big Baldy
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Beatiful day...stayed pretty cool, which helped to keep the snow nice on many slopes.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
8"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

Powder settled a bit since yesterday, but still quite nice.. We noticed some wind affected, sculpted, and drifted areas up high.. We stayed on slopes facing the northern side of the compass, and found the best snow in sheltered mid elevation areas.

Red Flags
Red Flags Comments
No obvious signs of instability today, but we did find areas with suspect snow structure. Febrary near surface facets are widespread under a foot-and-a-half to two feet of fresher snow. This was not very reactive today,, but we've experienced a few colapses and shooting cracks failing on this layer in the past couple days. Areas with shallow snowcover are plagued by weak and sugary facets throughout, but we didn't find too many spots that fit the bill.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

Persistent slabs failing on the February facets are possible in steep terrain, with south and southeast facing slopes also suspect... Areas with shallow and weak snow could produce larger avalanches failing on larger January facets, but the chances that a person could trigger such an avalanche are currently slim, until temperatures warm drastically or we get a nice load from a moist spring snowstorm.

Comments

The snow where we were appeared stable, but potential is there, avalanches are possible in some areas, and there are pockets with a Moderate or level 2 danger in the Logan Zone...