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Observation: Little Pine

Observation Date
3/24/2018
Observer Name
Luke
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Little Pine
Location Name or Route
Little Pine
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Strong
Weather Comments
Much more wind than we had expected for the morning...and just enough cloud cover to prevent much warming on the pretty well crusted snow surface.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
I assume you could find better conditions on North facing stuff and in the trees. What we found was edge-able.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
The crust layer was almost supportable on south aspects with an astounding amount of graupel beneath it from 8000' up, today's storm started to come in while we were going down and the wind was moving anything around on the ridgelines. Beneath the graupel layer everything was pretty saturated with water and quite heavy.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Not sure what the graupel layer will end up being, lots of heat may round it out but I don't think I've seen that much graupel to be honest. It could linger in spots and make for issues underneath cliff bands and anywhere else it may pool.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Wind has been blowing pretty hard since Thursday in all kinds of directions... you could encounter wind slabs on all aspects at this point.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate