Observation Date
12/4/2016
Observer Name
Paradis / Brackelsberg
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline » Murdock Peak
Location Name or Route
Murdock Peak
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Relatively warm today. Nearby telemetry at the Canyons showed temps around 30 degrees most of the day with wind picking up after noon and gusting into the mid 30s. This was transporting a little snow.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
6"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

Some wind affect near ridgelines but other wise just settled snow that skied well

Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

Not really too much of a problem today with nearly a week of settlement.

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

Some pretty minor wind slabs right at the ridgelines.

Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
8,900'
Slope Angle
30°
Comments

We dug in an area that had old snow prior to the two storms around Thanksgiving. The facets appeared to be rounding to some degree in this location and were not super loose. Maybe things will change but so far compared to other years, the snowpack in this location seems pretty stable.

I didn't check the poor structure box above because the facets didn't seem as weak or as deep and snowpit tests produced pretty limited results. That said, technically many of the criteria for McCammon's Lemons were met (weak layer < 1, hardness step, grain type).

Out of the wind, the snow surface was soft settled powder. Perhaps due to the relatively warm temperatures today, we did not observe widespread sluffing.

Not a great photo but a mountain lion broke trail for us part way up Toll Canyon.

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