Observation: Guardsman Pass area

Observation Date
2/24/2018
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Guardsman Pass area
Location Name or Route
Guardsmans Pass area
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Cold with broken skies in the AM becoming overcast with light snow in the PM, Moderate winds from the SW on the high ridge line.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
6"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

The top couple inches of snow in wind protected terrain was light density resting on a dense and still somewhat inverted base. The density inversion can still be felt with pole probes and while breaking trail but was supportable while skiing, you where basically riding on top. S aspects in exposed terrain had wind crusts or thin wind slabs that were increasing in thickness through out the day.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Poor Snowpack Structure
Comments

Skied both S and N aspects on the Park City Ridgeline in the Gaurdsmans pass area, The snow on the N facing was soft and creamy except on the exposed ridge line where the S winds had loaded and formed wind slabs on the leeward N facing slopes. From what I was seeing on S and SE facing slopes wind slabs might have been the culprit in the slide on Raymond. There still remains poor structure in the N facing terrain but right now it seems dormant without enough of a load to activate it, but with more wind and snow on the way it will remain suspect until proven other wise. The only activity noted today was natural sluffing of the new snow on steep E facing off of Scotts Bluff and the already mentioned wind slabs just off the ridge lines on the N facing, these wind slabs were breaking out on faceted snow from the last storm.

Photos: Wind slabs, and cracking, natural sluffing

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