Observation: 10420

Observation Date
2/18/2015
Observer Name
Lees
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » 10420
Location Name or Route
10,420
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Temperaures pleasantly warm in the sun, and pleasantly cool in the shade. Only wind was on the summit- calm elsewhere.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Melt-Freeze crusts dominate, and were still a bit slow to warm, but corn skiing is out there on supportable southerly facing slopes. Trails, roads and skin tracks are hard and icy. There is 2 to 6" of soft, faceted snow on steeper, due north facing slopes, at the upper elevations. Nice turning where untracked. The loose snow made for more slippery skinning, especially where over old, hard wind board.

Comments

The only weak snow surface was the mix of facets and graupel on the high elevation, steeper northerly facing slopes that are really shady. With a low power hand lens, it looked like some of the graupel had facets growing on it, too. But the basic "loose, sugary, sparkly" attribute means you don't need a hand lens to know it is weak and faceted snow. If we get the higher end of the forecast 1 to 4" of snow this weekend, I'd expect it will be possible to trigger some descent size sluffs on these slopes.

Yes, there is snow...at the upper elevations, especially on north through easterly facings slopes.

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