Observation Date
2/9/2014
Observer Name
C Brown
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline
Location Name or Route
Park City Ridge Line
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Moderate Snowfall
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Day started with S-1 2mm grappel at 11 am at the TH in the Colony 8400' 0 C SW winds light, no blowing snow. Overnight snow appeared to be about 10cm. At 11:40 @ 8800' in the flats we were experiencing S2+ 1mm precip. light/moderate winds from the N NW, about -1 C, still obscured skies.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
5"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Seeing some grapel in the new snow, about 1 cm+. 5" overnight.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Collapsing
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Very obvious red flags today. Hard to ignore them, in your face with the widespread avalanche activity, heavy snow collapsing, warming temps and poor strcture. Was not able to observe any of the avalanche activity or windloading, but aware of these due to the bulletin.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Problem #1 Comments
Where we were looking the persistent weak layer wasn't > 1m deep, but we were looking at a shallow pack. Would be considered a deep slab in other deeper pack areas. Saw this react while isolating a column for a CT. Collapsing on the persistent slab between the 2 crusts about 40-48 cm from ground. Inaccurate PST results on this layer were PST (end) 70/100 70cm down. (Issues with the terrain led to not effectively/completely isolating the column on one side, which affected the test) Also observed some instabilities in the facets (NSF?) directly under the storm slab (60cm-52cm from ground in our pit), an un-quantifiable RP observed when pulling on column.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Observing a RP in the density change in the storm slab during a Shovel tilt test about 70cm from ground, or 50 cm from surface. Observed this in our pit on Sat. as well, that interface in the storm snow does not appear to have bonded very well.
Snow Profile
Aspect
East
Elevation
8,900'
Slope Angle
8°
Comments
Stayed in very benign terrain with the AIARE I class today due to the avalanche danger existing. Found some great test slopes below No Name Bowl area. Test slopes were large pile of excavation debris which proved difficult terrain for snow pits (rocks, boulders, and tree debris in pit varying depth greatly on a micro scale). This terrain affected the HS and proper isolation during PST. Overall I think the profile was fairly representative of the snowpack in sheltered lower pack areas. Was not observing much of a density inversion at this location, but would expect that would be very different in less sheltered and higher elevation areas.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
High
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High
Coordinates
