Observation Date
11/26/2015
Observer Name
Toddeo
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline
Location Name or Route
PC Ridge - USA Bowl
Weather
Sky
Broken
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northeast
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Cold day with very light snow, no real accumulation. Nice stellers.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
3"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
3" or so of new light snow sitting on a variety of garbage. Underlaying snow pack is generally very weak. The one exception is mid elevation sheltered areas in Mill F (HS=16). I had high hopes while ascending but as soon as I got to USA bowl, I was back in thin (HS=8-10), weak faceted snow to the ground.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
This is more of a red flag in waiting. Most areas traveled today contained very weak snow.
Examples:
USA Bowl: 8-12" of very weak snow with an occasional decomposing crust. Trail breaking was not as easy as it should have been. Very easy to punch to the ground while skiing. This area typically has a firm crust due to the south aspect. This is not the case this year. This area will have an atypical hazard with a load of new snow.
Radar Love bowl, North aspects. Areas right off the PC ridge consist of varying depth of supportable to 2 finger wind slab up to 18" thick sitting on dry, weak (fist) 1-2 mm facets. ECTP, 15-20, Q3, more of a break than a shear in the facets.
South Monitor, Skiers right side, northeast aspect, same as described above for radar love. Photo below.
Did not ski either radar love or south monitor mostly due to a variable, thin cover.
One large collapse in a drifted area while walking the PC ridge between Radar love and south monitor.
Minor localized cracking due to uderlaying facets.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Normal Caution
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Normal caution, I think Brett's forecast this morning was spot-on. Mostly low with isolated areas of moderate.
Main hazard is thin cover. I walked an area at the top of south monitor below the ridge that I would not walk in typical conditions, no results other than minor localized cracking and punching through to rocks.
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northeast
Elevation
9,800'
Slope Angle
33°
Comments
Snow profile photo in the skiers right area of south monitor, of note are the facets near the glove. 2 ECTP's as described above in this area.
Overall, we have a really weak snowpack, not much else to say until it snows. Unless the sunny aspects bake, we may see activity in unexpected places during the next storm cycle..
The new snow gave the appearance of better cover in distal views, sort of like what some friends say late at night in the bars: Good from afar, far from good.....
Happy Thanksgiving!
Moderate hazard is worst case, mostly low.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
