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Observation Date
2/5/2015
Observer Name
Toddeo
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » White Pine » Red Baldy
Location Name or Route
White Pine, Red Baldy, Spire, Boulder Basin
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Warm! wind was working it's way down to some of the mid-elevations. Some snow trasnport. many exposed areas were scoured to old snow and crusts. Some elevated skin tracks on Lake peak.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Approximately 5-6" storm total in sheltered areas above 9000' to only a trace below 8000'.

South aspects were damp and producing roller balls by mid-morning. Northerly aspects above 9000 remained dry, Shady aspects below about 8700-9000 were roller balling by mid-afternoon. The cloud cover in the pm and wind helped cool some aspects (variable). Some crusts above 9000 on southeast aspects in the afternoon.

Snow surface in the alpine ranged from scoured old snow to pools of graupel.

some really sticky snow on the exit today!

New snow was well bounded in most areas, negative results on all quick ECTs, hard shear/break on columns.

I think the wind helped curtail some of the wet activity today.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Collapsing
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
1 loud collapse on north-facing Red Baldy @ 10,100'. Combined with a scoured snow surface, enough to make us turnaround. This area has been thin all winter. Snow profile for this area is below, no associated cracking. All cracking was localized today, mostly due to underlying facets and weak snow. I would classify this as localized poor snow pack structure. The warm temperatures also warrant caution. Overall the mid-pack seems strong in most areas, however there seems to be more weak-thin areas this year. Some wind-loading, not as much as expected. Some sluffing on steeper aspects, new snow only. Not as much as I observed yesterday.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

Not a huge concern, Lower end of moderate danger? WE did not encounter many areas of drifts deeper than 1'.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #2 Comments

With forecasted warm temps, I would expect to see this on most aspects. Moderate danger.

Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
10,100'
Slope Angle
33°
Comments

I included this thin profile to show that these areas are still lurking and collapsing. Partners 25-30' away did not feel the collapse.

I would summarize current conditions as December cover and April temps. We followed spring travel patterns. Start early, exit early.

Hazard is new snow only.

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