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Observation: Argenta

Observation Date
1/24/2019
Observer Name
B
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mill D South » Kessler » Argenta
Location Name or Route
Argenta Area
Weather
Sky
Broken
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Broken skies in the am and overcast in the pm. The winds escalated as the day went on and were moderate on the upper elevations, but not getting down in the mid and lower elevations. Temperatures were warmer today and appeared to hit the low 30s at 7500. Periods of very light snow: S-1 for brief moments today; and at 2000 a trace at 8000 in Silver Fork.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
4"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Storm totals from the past 24 hours appeared to not be more than 10 cm of graupel in BCC. Excellent turning in the grauple above 7700 feet with the old storm snow as an excellent bottomless base. Below 7700 an ambient temperature dense slab developed on Tuesday when we had the greenhousing, and as a result riding was a bit upside down below the grauple. That being said, it still rode very well. Solar aspects once again got damp/wet before the cloud cover came in, and on the southerlies the dampness occurred despite lack of sun. Trail breaking was not difficult for the first day in the last three.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Widespread natural graupel runnels in the steep terrain with thick piles building. Reports from Cardiac continue to remind us of the buried weak layers that have been mostly dormant, but still lingering. Structure in the Argenta Chutes appeared to have good stability at this point in time, yet it is still easy to find the non-reactive weak layers from mid December and the beginning of January. Tests yielded CTH RP 50 cm down at the interface of the first big storm from last week. Snow Pit was at 8300, N on a 31 degree slope, and it had an HS of 170 cm. The biggest weakness in this zone continues to be the sensitive layer of light density snow that is now 15 cm down.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Despite no wind slab issues noted in the zone traveled today, the winds appear to be ramping up once again this evening. Sensitive wind slabs may continue to be an issue on Friday and excessive loading may trigger more large slides.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
Investigative report from Cardiac Ridge appears to acknowledge the reality that there are still lingering areas with old weak snow that remain suspect. Thin rocky areas and repeater zones appear to be the most likely place for these to come alive with any substantial new load.
Danger appeared to be Moderate in the areas traveled today with potential for Considerable in sustained wind loaded areas. And this appears to be the case as well for Friday.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable