Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Weather Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Class List UAC Class List Online Classes Resources and Tutorials Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation: Cutler Ridge

Observation Date
1/27/2016
Observer Name
Kory
Region
Ogden » Ben Lomond » Cutler Ridge
Location Name or Route
Cutler Ridge
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Calm day in the ogden mountains. Finally some high pressure and no wind. Good skiing conditions but cold temps this morning are going to wreak havok on our snow surface. At the Huntsville Weather station it was -5f at 6am and at the trail head it was 4f at 6am.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

The new snow from Sunday night (Jan 24th) has really started to facet and than add 2-4mm surface hoar on that. This all sits on a slick bed surface from the heavy snow before the weekend (I really think it is from the heavy snow even in protected areas it exists leading me to believe it is not wind). Hopefully warm temps and strong winds before the next shot of snow on Friday will knock them down but I am not sure. On S aspects the snow surface is not faceted but does have the surface hoar.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
Did see some wet activity from yesterday and with warm temps I bet the same today.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

In the Ogden Mountains I think the largest problem is wet slabs running on a slick bed surface. I am unable to find a crust facet layer on south aspects like the central Wasatch seems to have.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments

These have become very stiff. I was unable to trigger and test slopes today.

Comments

1. Wet activity from yesterday

2. Medium size surface on all aspects this morning. (not sure if they burned off in the afternoon on S aspects??)

3. Surface hoar and death air if one doesn't get you the other will!!

4. Wind affect on Ben Lomond

5.

Birch Creek photos from monday 1/25/2016

Today I saw only moderate conditions with pockets of Considerable in upper elevation steep terrain on all aspects. I do not know what weak layers are up there and wind slabs. I just see that 3 professionals have been caught off guard in the Wasatch in a week. I have not really seen a lot of red flags or signs of instability in the Ben Lomond area. I am having tons of fun on 30ish degree terrain it is hard to risk the steeper unknown. Hopefully this next storm comes in as heavy as predicted to give our northern Wasatch snowpack a realy good natural test.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate