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Observation: GE Hill/Skyline Summit

Observation Date
11/29/2013
Observer Name
Darce Trotter/ Steve Cote
Region
Skyline » Fairview Canyon » Blind Fork » GE Hill
Location Name or Route
GE Hill, Miller Flat, Electric Lake
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
bluebird, warm above inversion, good visibility for a look around at carnage from East winds.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Characteristics Comments

East hurricane winds last week a little odd for plateau, the damage is done, scoured usual cornices backwards eroding them away and pummeling the ridgetops to dirt, with only <2' of snow to work with, sublimation also at work, hard to figure where the snow has gone. Access extremely limited due to lack of snow cover, some machines getting out on flats and off ridges, but do not feel they could get to pockety hazards due to dry ground in between, will take another (and bigger) storm to allow access. Much like people were getting out a month ago in the Central Wasatch, it is good to have a look around after the last wind event to remember where things were white, and where they were brown.

We did experience a single "snappy" collapse today in sheltered flats that made a sound like crunching snow, not the usual low frequency noise.

40 cm of snow at Miller Flat snowstake, varied depth is still well under 2' and more like 14"-16"

We need another 1' or so more to even make the grassy slopes safe enough to ski with any abandon.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
spaitial variability to the extreme really the norm for upper elevations, windslabs over facets the typical setup with every possible variation in thickness, but strong over weak the rule. very sheltered N through NW now 14"-16' deep above 9000' and rotting away from the ground and from the surface, seems upper layers are progressing faster. Odd loading could leave landmines in areas not usually a problem, steep wind loaded WNW through N slopes, with slabs all the more stubborn, and consequences serious because of exposed rock, stumps, and windfall still all exposed.
Avalanche Problem #1
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments

good bed surfaces with stout wind crusts and faceting snow on top scattered out amongst the sastrugi, dirt, rocks and bushes on NE through WNW aspects, very weak snow down in sheltered areas.

Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
9,400'
Slope Angle
15°
Comments

tried to find deepest snow not wind effected to assess overall changes, not surprised with our results. We gingerly linked a few turns in gentle terrain, but experience best described as if someone was dancing on our video player controls, fast forward, pause, slow mo, even rewind, all changing from one turn to the next (herky jerky comes to mind). Our greatest suspect for activity in the future, when and if we get snow, is going to be the WNW through N slopes that are holding snow now.

Video

Beacon Basin is up and running and we took advantage for a few drills, multiple burial tests, etc. Great job guys for getting it set up, hope more use it!

More sheltered and extreme terrain is still bare with wildly spaced chunks of wind slab cross loaded in odd areas

closer look at wind stripped terrain, never mind the shadows of strange beings

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates