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Observation: White Pine

Observation Date
3/7/2016
Observer Name
Bruce Tremper
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » White Pine
Location Name or Route
White Pine to top of Birthday Chutes
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Beautiful day, mostly sunny but a few lingering clouds hanging around the peaks from low level moisture. The strong spring sun really warmed things up in a hurry.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
8"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Nice refresher of new snow, which started as rain at lower elevations and graupel at upper elevations. You could feel the wet, soggy snow under the new snow below about 8,500' and it caused a lot of icing on skis and skins. At upper elevation, northerly aspects, the new snow remained quite dry and good turning conditions. We found quite a bit of wind damage and wind deposits above about 10,800' on exposed ridges.

We took a couple laps in the Birthday Chutes including one from the top. Quite good snow.

People were getting after it on many of the steep slopes without incident. Here are some tracks off of Lake Peak on a northeast facing slope.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Cracking
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
You could see some dry sluffing within the new snow on the steep slopes but it was pretty minor. The rapid warming caused some wet sluffs on the steep, sun exposed slopes but, again, pretty minor. Cracky wind slabs on exposed ridges above about 10,800'. But in general, the danger was mostly Low with the only avalanche problems, mostly minor wet activity at lower elevations and lingering wind slabs at upper elevation wind exposed terrain. Perhaps Moderate would cover it for today because of the mentioned problems.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Problem #1 Comments

We found some cracky wind slabs on exposed ridges above about 10,800' but they were fairly stubborn. They were most sensitive where there was quite a bit of graupel under them, which often rolled off of steep slopes and collected in depressions. When combined with a wind slab, it was a bit slabby and would crack but I could not find any that would move. But I bet I could have triggered a small wind slab if I snooped around more, but I don't like to go looking for trouble.

Here's a photo of some of the graupel pooling with a wind slab on top.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #2 Comments

With the rapid warming, there was some minor wet, loose sluffs at lower elevations as the new snow quickly turned to mashed potatoes.

Here's a photo of some minor, dry sluffing within the new snow on a steep east facing slope off Rainbow Ridge in White Pine.

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