Observation: Reynolds Pk

Observation Date
2/3/2019
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Reynolds Pk
Location Name or Route
Reynolds Peak
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Cloudy with a few breaks of sun, warm with a lot less wind than expected little to no accumulation.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
5"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
4 to five inches of new snow on Reynolds NE face, not near as dense as expected bordering on light density, no wind affect noted.
Comments
Was headed for the PC Ridgeline but got shut down by traffic, ended up skiing the NE face of Reynolds. I was expecting more wind, more snow and a density inversion found none of these. Basically 4 inches of new snow on a soft underlying base on the NE face of Reynolds and 4 inches of new snow on a melt-freeze crust on the E facing shoulder. No instabilities noted except sluffing of the new snow on the melt-freeze crust, running slow and packing zero punch. The snow pack below 7500ft is saturated and might take some time to seize up being that it’s insulated by the new snow.
Photos: ice plastered trees below 8000ft from freezing rain, total new snow depth at 9700ft, sluffing on the melt-freeze crust, moderate to low hazard on Reynolds face
In the terrain covered today which is all avalanche terrain I’d say the hazard was low to moderate, still waiting for the river of moisture to show up.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate