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Observation: Lookout Peak

Observation Date
2/8/2017
Observer Name
Hardesty, Keeling, Passey
Region
Salt Lake » Emigration Canyon » Lookout Peak
Location Name or Route
Pinecrest to Lookout Peak
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
10"
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Rain-Rime Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Looked to be about 10"/1.5"SWE? of heavy new snow above 8500' with supportable rain/mist crust up to about that elevation. Would lean against any idea of ml faceting with these crusts based upon the high density snow beneath or isothermal nature of other snow below.

Southerly and east/west aspects resembled corn-like conditions at and below 8000' back toward Pinecrest. Perhaps isothermal on these aspects below 7500'.

Red Flags
Red Flags Comments
No red flags noted. No signs of recent avalanche activity. No cracking, no collapsing, good snowpack structure. A few snowmobilers punching steep terrain on many aspects and elevations with no issue.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #1 Comments

Rollerballs and semi-slab-like push-a-lanches up to 2" deep on old melt freeze crusts up to 8000 on the sunny aspects. The new 2" running on pre-existing mf crusts.

Cloud cover and cooling from the moderate southwest winds kept a lid on any significant wet activity...though exits in protected thin terrain a bit sloppy and unsupportable.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #2 Comments

No structural issues noted - no surface hoar, no faceted grains of interest. Right side-up mostly 1F+ snowpack

7900' NNE - HS 130cm

​8500' NW - HS 220cm (Interface Decomp/frag stellars producing ECT 25 down 25cm)

​8000' NW - HS 190cm (Graupel noted 50cm down but predictably unreactive)

Comments

Photos:

Representative structure

Rollerballs/2" wet slab pushalanche

"Debris pile"

Dripping cornices require a wide berth

Natural cornice failure near Lookout Peak.

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