Observation: Park City Ridgeline

Observation Date
3/9/2013
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
PC Ridgeline
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Foggy with little visibility on the upper ridgeline this morning, some sucker holes and better vis in the afternoon. Winds from the NNW in the light to moderate catagory.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
8"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Snow Characteristics Comments

Enough medium density snow to keep you from bottom feeding, winds from yesterday and last night help with making the snow denser, but not slaby.

Comments

Went to the PC Ridgeline today, of course, because it got more snow than anywhere else in the central Wasatch, and I was definitely not the only one with this idea, fairly crowded for that area. Skied Wills Hill first because of lack of vis in the Monitors, a little wind rippled but not bad. Both West and South Monitor had cornices facing the opposite direction than they usually do and wind scoured in the tops of both bowls from the NNW winds, both were somewhat wind affected. Moving on to No Name discovered that it was not winded and the best snow of the day. Did not note any instabilities today, new snow was well bonded, came in dense and moist, no sluffing cracking or collapsing experienced. The moist air that has been with us the last couple days produced quite a bit of rimming on the trees on the upper ridgeline, but not noted on the snow surface. Pics Rime.