Observation: Park City Ridgeline

Observation Date
3/23/2018
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline
Location Name or Route
PC Ridgeline
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Overcast and light snowfall in the AM, broken skies with some sun in the PM, moderate winds from the SW on the ridge line, not much wind lower down in the drainage. Warm temperatures with green- housing in the afternoon.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Two inches of new, dense, damp snow at 10,000ft pretty uniform amounts all the way down to 8'000ft. The surface became damp in the afternoon on all aspects due to green-housing and direct sun.

Comments

Travel today was up USA Bowl, Scott's Bluff, No Name Bowl and across both S and W Monitor. No Name Bowl which sit around 9600ft had wet activity on the SE facing and also the due N, the due N had some minor roller- balling but revealed that even the N facing had become damp at that elevation, The SE facing seemed to come unglued fairly well with large amounts of wet activity. I did not like the punchy, damp feeling of the snow in the bowl so I left it for the sun to bake. Below 9000ft the snow is saturated all the way through the pack down to the depth hoar at the bottom. Noted natural cornice drops in both W and S Monitor but they did not break into older layering. Both bowls also had wet activity on the E and SE facing portions. Skiing out the S facing went from dense dust on damp crust above 9000ft to punchy and damp below that. Noted some large debris piles in all of the Power House couloirs on the drive down the canyon.

Photos: wet activity in No Name with the last being due N mid slope roller-balls, natural cornice drop in S Monitor, and a saturated layered snow-pack below 9000ft

Today was a tough call on hazard, with all the rain and extra weight I think Considerable was a good over-all call but in the terrain covered I think Moderate was more appropriate.

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