Observation: Park City Ridgeline

Observation Date
1/22/2019
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline
Location Name or Route
PC Ridgeline
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Cold with intermittent clouds and blue skies, low lying clouds moving up from the bottom of the canyon in the afternoon.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2'
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Seemed like about 2 feet of new snow, right side up with very light density snow on top. There were some areas of wind affect but it seemed to be mostly on westerly aspects. The steeper S facing stayed dry until about 1:30 when the sun came out in full form and dampened the surface.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Comments
Headed to the PC Ridgeline to get a good look at avalanche activity from the weekend storm. Noted what looked storm snow avalanches in Main Days, Banana Days, Crystal Palace, Cardiac Ridge, El Rollo, West Monitor, and the West Willow Ridgeline. The new snow seemed well bonded today and no density inversions were noted. The last two storms have worked miracles on our snow pack and now most of the bushes on the south facing in BCC are buried, and the ski runs are in. I was a bit surprised that there didn’t seem to be any avalanches going into old snow on the PC Ridgeline with maybe the one in West Monitor being the outlier, but it might have been just a large wind-loaded pocket. McDonald’s and Dutches got hit hard with no signs of instability. Steep S facing might have a crust in the AM but the lower angle probably won’t.
Photos: storm snow avalanches on the West Willow Ridgeline, El Rollo, Banana Days, Cardiac Ridge, West Monitor, and damp snow on steep S facing around 2 pm, clouds working their way up canyon in the afternoon
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate