Observation: Alta Periphery

Observation Date
12/16/2015
Observer Name
Glew
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Alta Periphery
Location Name or Route
Alta Perifery
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Went up in the late afternoon, snowing lightly when I started, then was snowing moderately towards the end. The winds were light and seemed to pick up when I got to the car at dark.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
4"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

Travel was up the summer road, to Catherine's pass, Rocky Point, Dry Fork, and down Catherine's area. Snow had settled some since yesterday. There wind had effected the snow a little bit where I skied. I dug a couple pits on south facing terrain. I first dug a hand pit at about 10,000 feet and noticed that the facets at the ground were damp. I did not get any significant results pulling on the column. A few hundred vertical feet later I dug another pit. I got a CT 18 Q2. The sheer was fairly clean but not much energy. At the ground the facets were dry, above that there were really loose facets, then some more consolidated snow (so to speak), another layer of facets, a melt/freeze crust, a dust layer?, some more weaker snow, then the new snow. I was investigating the southerly aspects due to the fact that we know the E, N, W aspects have very faceted snow below the new snow. I am taking a particularly close watch on the southerly facing aspects, (which is usually deemed safer from faceted snow in the Wasatch), because I wonder how they will react with a large load and/or some wind.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Rot below the new snow on all aspects.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable