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Observation: South Monitor Bowl

Observation Date
12/7/2014
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline » Monitors » South Monitor Bowl
Location Name or Route
Willow Heights, South Monitor
Weather
Sky
Few
Weather Comments
Calm and warm even on the high ridgeline
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Seemed like there was about every sort of snow conditions except powder. Creamy dense recrystalized snow on the low angle north and the upper elevation low angle south. Temperature crust on the steep east facing in South Monitor, decomposing wind crust on the steep N-NE in South Monitor, saturated damp snow below 9000ft.

Comments

Walked up Willow Height to South Monitor in search of some shallow powder skiing, had not been to the Monitors since the big heat wave started. the snow in E-NE facing South Monitor had settled out to about 20 to 22 inches E facing had no facets underlying the slab the only facets found were on the surface, under the heat crust, the more NE facing did have facets under the slab but it was a thin layer and the facets seemed to be rounding and starting to bond. My biggest concern in the Monitors is that their shallow snow pack will facet out completely before the next decent storm putting us back to square one. The rate of faceting seems more pronounced in the shallow snow pack on the PC Ridgeline, than the deeper snow pack in upper Cardiff but if we don't get any new snow to insulate the pack soon it,s going to rot out everywhere. Surface Hoar was growing rapidly on all aspects, low angle south included. Apparently skin wax has become a must in December. Photos, Surface hoar growing rapidly, wind drifts also rotting out, skin glue needed, manageable crust skiing

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