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Observation: Alta Ski Area

Observation Date
10/31/2013
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Alta Ski Area
Location Name or Route
Greeley Bowl
Weather
Sky
Broken
Weather Comments
Sun poked in and out intermittently through out the day. Got warm when the sun was not obscured by clouds.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
1"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

New snow from the recent storm has settled and consolidated to about 8 inches. Slopes with any bit of south became damp and will be crusted in the morning. The denser and consolidated snow on the east aspects made for better riding today because it kept you from bottom feeding as much. Couple more days of mild and sunny weather will most likely melt the south facing aspects down to the dirt again.

Comments

Decided to head up LCC today and see if there was some skiing on east facing with a old melt freeze crust underlying the new snow, instead of the loose facets that I was finding on high north yesterday. East facing Greeley seemed like a good location for those type of conditions. Photos are of the location where we found these conditions. Around 10,000ft, mostly east facing with a damp melt freeze crust under the new snow in the starting zone.

Still not happy with the abundance of loose facets underlying the new snow on the high norths, think I'll give that type of terrain some time to adjust, don't want to take even a small ride through the cheese grater. Photo, damp snow on all aspects with a southerly tilt.