Observation: 10420

Observation Date
12/20/2015
Observer Name
Mark Staples
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » 10420
Location Name or Route
Peak 10420
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Moderate Snowfall
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
7"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

The new snow made a big improvement on riding conditions by covering the rime crust that formedthe morning of Friday, Dec 18

Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Pretty good snowfall rates, but the new snow was very low density thus not much of a load on the snowpack.
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northeast
Elevation
9,800'
Comments

Nothing new except ECT was propagating. Not sure if there are any facets around the rime crust at 60 cm; however, the very low density new snow could become the weak layer if Monday's snow comes in warm and wet with wind. The bigger concern remains facets near the ground. 40cm of facets in this location, but the ones that the ECT was propagating on were just above a crust at 40 cm.

The two RED FLAGS are

  1. The poor snowpack structure you can see in the photo. A slab of strong snow on top of weak facets.
  2. The Extended Column Test (ECT) result. It propagated after 13 taps (3 from the elbow). This means a crack was initiated in the weak facets without much force, and then the crack propagated across the column.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates