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Observation: Park City Ridgeline

Observation Date
1/20/2019
Observer Name
Hardesty, Carpenter
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline
Location Name or Route
PC Ridge Line
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Wind Direction
South
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Plumes noted off Scott Peak with wind getting into the mid-slope and mid-elevations by the afternoon.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Rain-Rime Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Thick and fast settled powder. Consistent. Saturday's drizzle crust, if you will, only noted to 8600' on all aspects. Temps, cloud cover, and wind effect should make for a good bond for the tonight's storm.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
One new old snow pocket noted in center West Monitor 10k NE - perhaps a foot deep and 40' wide. Steep, rocky, thin; I believe this area has run at least three times this winter. Possibly triggered by cornice fall or small sluff.
Comments
Many quick pits showed stable snow on mid and upper elevation west to north terrain. The outlier in the video below. Will's shoulder West 9600'. ECTP25 on pre-Christmas facets. Haven't felt this has correlated to much activity in the core.
Storm and wind slabs starting to stabilize...though the pre-frontal winds were starting to kick up. Thinner and repeater areas remain suspect.
Still, we've had a ton of SWE and wind since Thursday and the conservative call allows for the inter and intra-storm weakness "glue" to set. Optimistic after tonight's storm that we'll be working with a strong, stable snowpack. Outliers will always be cause for concern.
Video
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable