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Observation: Snake Creek

Observation Date
1/20/2015
Observer Name
Joey Dempster
Region
Provo » Snake Creek
Location Name or Route
Snake Creek, Eight Ball
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Cold tonight! At least relative to the last several days. 15 degrees at 7pm.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Snow Characteristics Comments

An inch or two of new snow and significant wind transport down off the ridges overnight freshened the riding surfaces without creating any new avalanche hazard.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
There was obvious wind transport which raised the threat level, but I did not find any wind slabs in the one run that I skied. But there might be some out there somewhere.
Comments

Despite the skiff of new snow and wind activity, the avalanche picture is the same as it's been for the last week: user friendly. I did notice, however, that the upper 15 cm of the snowpack is considerably less cohesive than it was on Friday. I did not have my field microscope with me to verify, but it sure felt like there is some type of faceting metamorphosis happening. It doesn't seem like conditions would create conditions to produce it, and I cannot comment on whether or not it is widespread. It was deeper than the Near Surface Facets that I might have expected, and certainly deeper than Surface Hoar. Whatever the mechanism and type, the snow that I observed in the top of the snowpack while climbing was definitely losing cohesion and could present a discontinuity to any slab (wind or otherwise) that forms on top of it. It is something I will be keeping an eye out for.

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