Observation: Middle Bowl Cirque

Observation Date
11/27/2018
Observer Name
Greg Gagne
Region
Ogden » Snowbasin » Middle Bowl Cirque
Location Name or Route
Snowbasin Periphery
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Light winds with no observed transport.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
About 20-60 cms HS in Snowbasin periphery. At 8800' in Middle Bowl we had depths of 60-70 ms. Snowbasin patrol had reported surface hoar at middle and some lower elevations, but sun, wind, and warmth destroyed that layer. Overall snow surface did not look weak and recent warmth and clouds have likely helped.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Cracking
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Some minor cracking observed as we traversed into unskied terrain in Middle Bowl. Not so sure it is really a poor snowpack structure .... just some mid-pack facets that need to be watched.
Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
8,800'
Slope Angle
28°
Comments
The Ogden mountains had only small pockets of snow prior to the Thanksgiving storm, and this existed on upper elevation aspects facing north through northeast. The Thanksgiving storm fell on dry ground, with no persistent weaknesses underneath the recent storm snow. The weakest snow currently is a layer of facets and decomposing fragments (DFs) down 15-20 cms that fell during Thanksgiving Day, and is now underneath 1F denser slab. ECT's results would only fracture, but not propagate, on this layer. Some CT's would fracture on layer of faceted snow sitting on top of October crust, but weakest snow currently is Thanksgiving storm snow. (See profile above.)
Image below is interesting juxtaposition of photos of Snowbasin webcams taken on Wednesday Nov 21 and then Monday November 26. Grab the slider bar to navigate between the images to see the before/after snow cover.
Photos include (1) Snowpack on North aspect at 8800', (2) 2-4 mm facets sitting above October rain crust that is found on upper elevation north through northeast aspects, and various photos showing overall coverage above 7000'
Overall Low hazard in terrain we visited today. Some areas where a Moderate hazard exists are in steep, upper elevation northerly terrain facing north through northeast where there is more of a slab on top of weaker snow where it would be possible to pull out a small pocket, but nothing connecting a larger slab. Biggest concern going forward is how mid-pack facets react to additional snow and/or wind forecasted for later this week.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate