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Observation: LSB North

Observation Date
1/5/2018
Observer Name
Hughes/Glew
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork » LSB North
Location Name or Route
Little Superior Bowl (LSB)
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Calm bluebird day in the Central Wasatch.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Mixed bag of snow conditions out there today. Pretty rough traveling and skiing on all aspects we traveled. Found some decent skiing on faceted loose grains in upper Cardiff Fork but any terrain exposed to the wind had an unsupportable wind board. The south side was damp on our exit.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
The poor structure is there we just again lack slab where we travelled. Cold clear nights and days seemed to have broked down the slab layed down by the christmas storm. The surface is now rotten weak sugar snow.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

If you could find a slab in the more exposed terrain you could possibly still buy an avalanche. This could be in areas more exposed to the wind in the upper elevation terrain.

Video

Snowpit is North facing at 10,000ft (upper BCC)

CT17 Q1 Failing on Depth Hoar at the ground (HS 110cm)

Back to back ECT yielded ECTX

No results in the ECT indicate no slab. Once we do get a load we could potentially see avalanches step down to our weak snow at the ground...

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