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Observation: Salt Lake

Observation Date
4/4/2017
Observer Name
Hardesty, Ward
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
Alta/Days/Mill D North/Soldier/Mill Creek
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Cool temps, light northwest wind, enough cloud cover with a few flakes of snow.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Very good lock-up of the snow surfaces beneath a few inches of soft settled powder. All crusts supportable with some hint that the new couple inches of snow may bake down for a quick-lived quasi-corn cycle in a couple days. Sheltered snow surfaces hold a couple inches to a skiff of weakening snow down to 8000' and may allow the weekend storm snow to bond poorly in areas where the facets are preserved.
Red Flags
Red Flags Comments
No red flags. Low danger.
Snow Profile
Elevation
7,200'
Comments
In the coming days, I would expect both loose wet and dry avalanches (weakening surface snow on crusts) on the sunny and sheltered aspects, but neither really have enough snow to warrant more than a slight mention.
Video
High northerly terrain has a couple cm of snow above a couple cm wind crust which in turn sits above another few cm of faceted snow above a more stout temperature crust. Sheltered northerlies are similar but lack the wind crust. In general we found a few inches of soft, turnable conditions above a supportable crust from high northerly Days Fork all the way into Mill Creek.
Lower elevations are taking a hit with the relatively dry March and the harsh March melt-off.
We exited Soldier Fork and remained on snow all (but for 50meters) the way to the MCC gate
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates