Observation: Silver Fork

Observation Date
4/15/2013
Observer Name
Kikkert
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
Silver Fork
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Only out for a few hours in the early morning. Intermittent light snow showers with a few moments of sun peeking through. Winds were quite light from the NW.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
6"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

About 6 inches of light density powder sitting on various sun crusts. The underlying crusts were mostly supportable, except on northerly aspects where they were a bit breakable. As a result, northerly aspects skied best, although the smooth underlying crusts provided for decent skiing, although bottom feeding, on most aspects.

Avalanche Problem #1
Problem #1 Comments

With winds well behaved pretty much the only avalanche concern was loose snow sluffs in the new snow. This included both a few natural sluffs (pic below) that occurred in the early AM during peak snowfall, as well as skier initiated sluffs. Skier initiated sluffs were not running very far or fast and were manageable. As a result, mostly low danger in the morning hours.

If winds bump up, would expect widespread sensitive drifts. Although there are a few layers now on north aspects, would not expect activity to step down into any of these layers unless on a very wind loaded slope.

Thanks to all UAC staff for all the excellent work this season.