Observation: White Pine

Observation Date

2/17/2017

Observer Name

Luke

Region

Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » White Pine

Location Name or Route

White Pine/ Lake Chute

Weather

Sky

Scattered

Wind Direction

Northwest

Wind Speed

Moderate

Weather Comments

I'll go with moderate for wind speed, there were certainly gusts that pushed us around and still a decent amount of loading and sculpting going on above 9000', although it picked up considerably at about 9800'-10,000'.

Snow Characteristics

Snow Surface Conditions

Dense Loose

Faceted Loose

Wind Crust

Melt-Freeze Crust

Snow Characteristics Comments

Highly variable, from where we topped out all the way down. At higher elevations it changed from dense loose (and really enjoyable) snow to wind pockets suddenly every couple of feet or so, lower down it was crusty where the sun had affected the outer layer and still dense and mildly damp loose snow under thick tree cover. A mix of great dense facets and not so enjoyable wind and melt-freeze crusts that kept me focused to not bury an edge and take a ride.

Red Flags

Recent Avalanches

Wind Loading

Cracking

Red Flags Comments

No real reactivity or propagation although the wind was blowing quite strong at times and there were definitely some thick wind slabs, especially on the NW aspect directly over any ridges. We did a good amount of hand pits and cut some slopes up higher without any reactivity, but with a decent amount of snowfall any wind pockets over terrain that you wouldn't want to take a fall in (steep, with cliffs or trees or other obstacles) could prove a problem. Lots of graupel in the snowpack still, even on the surface in certain spots being blown about by the wind too.

Today's Observed Danger Rating

Moderate

Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating

Moderate

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