Observation Date
12/30/2013
Observer Name
Cam Mackenzie
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
Twin Lakes Pass
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
Southwest
Weather Comments
Clear morning. Light winds from the southwest, the usual up-canyon winds up grizzly over twin lakes. Low hazy clouds for an hr or so then burned off for a beautiful day.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Characteristics Comments
Great skiing and riding on surface facets. No formal pit dug today but multiple hasty pits showed pretty much what we already know... Failures are on the depth hoar roughly 2-3 feet down. Cohesive slab is starting to facet out and isn't carrying propagation nearly as energetically as just a few days ago. East->South->West exposed slopes are developing a stout melt-freeze crust. North facing slopes are crust free and faceted top to bottom.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
For better or worse, the slab issue I've been concerned about the last week or two is starting to diminish. People are starting to peak out onto steeper/ higher consequence terrain (myself included) with no failures. I would imagine there are still some slabs out there waiting for a trigger and not thoroughly faceted out.
Forecaster Comments: Well said Cam. Thanks for your opinion on the current persistent slab issue. I have similar thoughts but I still can't relax on many of the higher consequence slopes. Kobernik
Comments
No formal pit today, sorry! Hasty pits all on north and northeast facing terrain roughly 9700' to 10200'. Snow 120 to 150cm deep except for below the ridge where wind loading occurred. All failures on depth hoar/facets about 90cm down.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
