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Observation Date
4/6/2014
Observer Name
Evelyn
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Raymond Peak
Location Name or Route
Butler to Raymond Shoulder
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Moderate Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Snow light to moderate at times, winds light to moderate. Complete white out, in the clouds at times. Combined to be down right blustery and almost unpleastant at times, with the winds driving pellet snow.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

Excellent turning and riding - about 6" from past 2 days. Powder seemed to be staying dry on north, as low as about 8000'. Sunnier aspects 3 to 6" dense snow on smooth, mostly supportable crusts. Clear cold skies overnight should keep snow dry into tomorrow morning.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Red Flags Comments
Some cracking of the new wind drifts, but also very localized cracking on MF crusts that are beneath the new snow on some aspects.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #1 Comments

Today's wind drifts should settle out rapidly once the winds stop blowing.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #2 Comments

This is tomorrow's Avy Problem - if the weather forecast of clear skies, direct sun and temps warming 10 degrees or more verifies. Expect tomorrow's wet activity to mostly be confined to the newest snow, but widespread, on most aspects and elevations. Early start, early finish tomorrow. With the prolonged warming in the forecast, deeper layers in the snowpack will start to come into play. It will be tricky - a lot of variation with just slight changes in aspect.

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