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Observation Date
11/27/2016
Observer Name
Luke
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mill B South
Location Name or Route
Mill B South/ Lake Blanche area
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Alternating periods of moderate and heavy snowfall, the wind was blowing fairly strong at times. Areas that were loaded by the wind had a considerable amount more of snow-some places I was up to my armpits.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
6"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
The snow quality was great- unfortunately it's still so shallow that there's rocks trees still sticking out. It was also snowing much more above around 8000' than below.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Problem #1 Comments
Most of the small hills around the Sundial with a steep enough angle had sloughed off by the time we made our way down the trail on the new 10-15 cm of storm snow. I would imagine that on larger slopes it will have done the same, especially as this new snow piles up on top of it. Fortunately all the hand pits I dug had great snowpack structure, right side up and no obvious weak layers beside from the new snow. I'm sure those early season facets are still lurking on the north aspects though.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High