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Observation Date
1/5/2014
Observer Name
Bruce Tremper
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork
Location Name or Route
George's Bowl - Ivory Flakes
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Cold--probably single digits or low teens--and the wind was moderate so it felt very chilly.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
5"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

The 4-5 inches of new snow really freshened things up. It rode very nicely but you could easily feel the old surface underneath. You could feel a zipper rime crust near the ridges and old wind slabs. Down out of the wind zone, the snow is the usual shallow, almost bottomless depth hoar with little structure. The southerly-facing slopes have sun crusts. The new snow conceals the many rocks and logs. Be careful, as usual.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
The only red flags I noticed was a fair amount of wind damage especially in the upper elevation, wind exposed terrain. But the new snow was so light and the air so dry, that the wind did not create any dangerous wind slabs that I could find, at least there along the 10,000' ridge between Kesler and Cardiac Ridge.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #1 Comments

See above comment. No significant wind slab development I could see but I'm sure there must be some areas at higher, windier elevations that could be a problem.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments

I have not looked at the snowpack for the past week, but the only thing that's changed is a bit of light fluff on top and another week of faceting. The snowpack continues as a shallow mess of faceted snow top to bottom with the only more substantial snow in the winder zones, where thare some supportable, old wind slabs above the faceted snow. Total snowpack depth remains under a meter in most areas--usually more like 70 cm. The faceted snow seems dormant in most areas with no energy and not enough of a slab on top. Once again, we wait for a significant load of snow to reactivate the persistent, faceted layers.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate