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Observation: Argenta

Observation Date
1/22/2014
Observer Name
Evelyn Lees
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mill D South » Kessler » Argenta
Location Name or Route
Argenta
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Clear early, with a deck of higher clouds coming in by 1 pm. Steady, down slope winds and being in the shade made for a cool trip up.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Rain-Rime Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

The now common mixed bag of just about all snow surface conditions, except powder. Clouds cut off heating, and westerly slopes hadn't softened as we were leaving. Super shallow, best turns on north and northeast, in areas without crusts. But variable, with plenty of shrubs, punchy snow and old tracks to avoid.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Plenty of weak snow, less and less of a slab. Still a few old hard wind slabs here and there, but not very cracky. A few places still have a weakening mid pack slab. Average snow pack seems less than a meter, many shallower locations are faceted top to bottom.
Comments

An odd mix of both rime and patchy rain crusts, some easily skiable, others best avoidable. Some of the thicker crusts have chained facets beneath.

Sad - almost no snow on south through southwest facing slopes....

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