Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Weather Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Class List UAC Class List Online Classes Resources and Tutorials Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation Date
4/5/2015
Observer Name
Bruce Tremper
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » White Pine
Location Name or Route
White Pine to Red Baldy
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Another mostly clear day with strong southwest wind that kept things cool at upper elevations.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Another day skiing on my day off with my wife. The southwest wind was blowing fairly hard and it was cool enough to keep things pretty crunchy and icy on the upper elevation, north facing slopes. All the other aspects and elevations got just soft enough with the sun to put a thin, softer layer on top so you could get a grip with your edges. But most things in the shade of trees, etc, were quite icy. We saw three other parties up there and they were all on foot without snowshoes, some wearing tennis shoes and walking on top of very supportable snow all the way to White Pine Lake. We ran into a party in the parking lot around 11 am that just returned from Pfiefferhorn and they said it was quite icy all the way. The trail has several patches that are melted out for 10-30 foot sections.

Red Flags
Red Flags Comments
No red flags. The wind was blowing hard but there is no snow to blow around so wind slabs are not a problem but we did not get up to the highest ridges. The snow is very supportable, mature spring snow on all slopes except the upper eleavtion north facing slopes that still have a dry, layered snowpack. But all the snow is very stable with a low danger. Any snow we may get with the storm on Wednesday-Thursday may slide easily on the slick ice crusts on all slopes. But it will be falling on bare ground on the south and west facing slopes.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem #2 Comments

The snow was so supportable that several parties walked on foot even to high elevations. These folks were in tennis shoes.

My wife and I were reminiscing that we skied Tanners top to bottom with continuous snow on the 4th of July in 1993. Now you can't even do it on April Fools Day.

Yup, a little thin on the White Pine trail. There are several melted out sections of 10 to 30 feet.

Sign of the times. Our sign is looking a little lonely at the White Pine trailhead.

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