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Observation: Snowbasin Backcountry

Observation Date
4/7/2013
Observer Name
Bill Hunt
Region
Ogden
Location Name or Route
Snowbasin Backcountry
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
North
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Cloudy and windy with a bit of snow up high; no precip below 8500'.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
1"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
From 9400 to 8900', North to NW aspects, the trace of new snow barely softened today's version of crust. The colder temps made for a harder crust; more challenging than the past couple days. Below 8300', the snow was increasingly damp, much more sticky than the past couple days.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
No new wet slide activity seen, but the snowpack is still wet and unconsolidated below 8100', on the N and NW aspects I was on. I did not want to get on anything steep at those elevations. I stayed in a chute that has some mid-March wet slide bed surfaces which are firmer than elsewhere now. Although there was a decent freeze in the upper elevations, melting continues unabated at the lower edge of the snowline. I did the same run as yesterday, with a couple hundred yards more walking out the bottom.
Comments
Fresh moose tracks around 6800', with melt water in the tracks.