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Observation: Days Fork

Observation Date
3/28/2017
Observer Name
Hardesty, Torrey
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Days Fork
Location Name or Route
Hideaway Park/Upper Days/Main Days/Binx's
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
North
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Clouds played cat and mouse with the sun for the morning into midday. A few moments of direct sun and ambient temps affected the southerly aspects. Some east facing slopes may be crust free in the morning. Some discussion of greenhousing... Northerly winds were light to moderate. We were back at the car by 130pm.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
10"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

Settled 8 to 10" on west to south to east facing slopes and best described as "bottom-feeding" on these aspects. Upper northerly aspects somewhat scoured for the top 10' or so from the northerlies. Mid-slope northerly aspects held 12-20" of storm(s) snow down to the March Madness crust.

Some spiny needles of rime adorned the branches at and below treeline.

Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments

Many slopes steeper than 40° sluffed in the top couple inches of low density snow though they'd be less than size 1 on the destructive scale. One perhaps size 2 storm slab noted in looker's right of Cardiac Bowl...timing likely during period of higher precipitation intensity. Interface a few inches down from yesterday seemingly healed overnight unless stressed by wind loading in high elevation extreme terrain.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #2 Comments

We left before this took shape though the new snow is mostly likely primed to move with direct sun and heating. Would forecast loose wet and perhaps wet slab avalanches to gouge down and run on the pre-existing melt-freeze crust.

Comments

Rime as mentioned above.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None