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Observation Date
12/17/2017
Observer Name
Paradis
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Days Fork
Location Name or Route
Days Fork
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Cool in the shade and at Spruces TH. The car said 19 degrees at 9am. Higher up in the sun, it was a good bit warmer. There was sort of an interesting cloudy layer that seemed to form between about Spruces and the S curves.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
1"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Snow Characteristics Comments

Facets over rocks? Very little snow and what is there is largely faceted. In the few spots with enough snow to turn, I guess you could say the facets skied pretty well.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Both here and east facing on Guardsman Pass yesterday I noticed two distinct melt freeze crusts with adjacent faceting. These weak crusts will help to provide a bed surface for avalanches once we get snow. The older snow from November seemed to be the weakest here and you could easily push your hand through the lower part of the snowpack. See photo below where I was able to easily remove much of the faceted snow.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Normal Caution
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

Once we have a slab, we will definitely have a persistent slab problem.

Snow Profile
Aspect
Northeast
Elevation
9,500'
Slope Angle
28°
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low