Observation Date
12/24/2015
Observer Name
Darce Trotter / Steve Cote
Region
Skyline » Huntington Canyon » Electric Lake
Location Name or Route
Electric Lake
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Skies cleared by 10:00 giving us a great look around, winds had not built much by noon, cold morning, highs got up to upper teens, but felt warmer in the sun. Wind damage evident up high on summit ridgelines and had reloaded/covered up extensive widespread avalance cycle, too many to mention
Snow Characteristics
Snow Characteristics Comments
Storm snow had settled to 53 cm at Miller Flat, Total depth of 90 CM, and comprises nearly the entire snowpack with the exception of 6"-10" layer of weak large grained facets at the ground. last weeks low density snow making for sandboxing as reported by Steve last week seems to have been compressed by the 3"+ of water in this weeks storm cycle and very difficult to isolate. Pack/slab is right side up and very supportable, with skis only penetrating < 6" on uptracks, machines likely to get where every they want, but traffic seems mostly confined to flats since today was the first day with any visibility. Christmas Eve/Day storm forecast to give another healthy shot of snow to area, raising immediate hazard of fresh wind slabs that if they get going, will likely step down and take out the entire snowpack
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Hazard remains high in steep terrain on W->N->E aspects despite impressive cycle that likely occured during or towards the end of the storm, some NE aspects have reloaded. All our usual suspect slopes have avalanched, including the Phone Shot, most of upper Lake Creek, Test Bowl Little Meadow and a chunk in the center of the Big Meadow. Nearly every steep NE facing ridge had activity over the small area we surveyed, so it is not hard to extend that guess over the entire north end of the Wasatch Plateau. We had two collaspes today, the first one early in the morning, rolling through the flat terrian approaching the bottom of Electric Lake Ridge that failed when I stepped into a gully, and the second as I attempted to posthole into the snowstake at Miller Flat.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
The slab is gaining a lot of strength and will likely become more stubborn over time, but if you step on a shallower, wind stripped area that collapses, the pack is so strong it will propagate great distances. Things are scary in the steep terrrain
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Problem #2 Comments
new storm snow overnight and into tomorrow with increase the sensitivity of new wind slabs and increase the risk of stepping down and becoming huge.
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northeast
Elevation
9,200'
Slope Angle
24°
Comments
Again, hazard remains high and steep terrain is all suspect, but by holding our slope angles to the mid 20's and staying on slopes not connected to steeper terrain, the skiing was excellent, we did not have any collapses where we skied, and the secret is having lower angle terrain to play on when the hazard is high
ECT test tells the whole story
Video
Big Drift had run, but is not discouraging highmarking in the area
Today's Observed Danger Rating
High
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High
Coordinates
