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Observation: Bountiful Peak

Observation Date
1/7/2016
Observer Name
Mark Staples
Region
Ogden » Farmington Canyon » Bountiful Peak
Location Name or Route
Bountiful Peak
Weather
Sky
Few
Weather Comments
Clouds were at 5500' today around 1330. Above that it was warm, sunny and great snow. No wind on the shoulder of Boutiful Peak at 8500 ft. Minimal wind effect at the ridgetop but there was no snow on the trees either.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
10"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Problem #1 Comments
I suspect there were some soft wind slabs at the ridgetops but I don't think they would have extended very far downhill. Overall there there was little evidence of wind and mostly just soft snow.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem #2 Comments
Facets near the ground keep getting harder and harder. ECT scores when they propagate seem to generally be in the low 20's. However, in other places they don't propagate. What I found today, mirrors what I found in Mill Creek on Tuesday. In places (3/4 of the slopes? 1/2 the slopes?) the facets will propagate in ECT's. What's mostly lacking is enough stress to tip the balance and make it easy to initiate a fracture. I'm not sure we'll see any deep slabs until we get a heavy load of snow or a big wind storm. I wouldn't rule out deep slabs either just yet.
Comments
First profile on NNE slope at 8322 ft. Height of snow was 105 cm (3.44 ft).
The facets at 40 were a very thin layer and hard to find for hand hardness. The only reason I saw this layer is b/c the CT broke there. The ECT did nothing and overall the snowpack felt pretty solid. I think the 4F hardness layer at 80-87 is new snow as well from when the storm started with warm temps.
The second one on a NNE aspect at 8500 ft. Height of snow was 136 cm (4.46 ft). Didn't record hardness in this location. Mainly wanted to do another ECT. Getting one ECTP in one spot and a ECTX/N in another seems normal right now.
Pretty solid snowpack. Even the facets at 10-20 cm felt pretty hard. The fracture surface from the ECTP was uneven. It propagated but it doesn't feel too scary at the moment and this area just got about 0.8 inches of water. With that load and hard taps to get the ECT to propagate, I'm hopeful that conditions are reasonably stable.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates