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Observation: Cutler Ridge

Observation Date
2/25/2019
Observer Name
Derek DeBruin
Region
Ogden » Ben Lomond » Cutler Ridge
Location Name or Route
Ben Lomond, Cutler Ridge
Weather
Weather Comments
Fairly warm today, near freezing when we left the trailhead shortly after 0800, and quite warm in the sun upon our return in the afternoon. Overcast skies cleared throughout the day to partly/mostly cloudy. Winds were sustained moderate to strong out of the southwest with stronger gusts, even at low elevations. Lots of blowing snow with plenty still available to transport. It's still called "free refills" when the windblown snow fills in your skin track between laps, right? Picked up a trace of snow falling from the sky..
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
The powder seems to have all but gone. Snow surface is all the types of wind-jacked, from low to mid elevations. I suspect as much at upper elevations judging by the rooster tails on the ridge and large cornices, but we didn't feel a strong desire to venture into the upper elevation winds to find out for sure. Sheltered terrain offered riding in dense but fun surface snow. Anything exposed is scalloped, scoured, sastrugi, wind crust, wind slab, etc., with more developing readily throughout the day. By early afternoon the low elevation snow surface was getting damp and grabby as well but did not observe any loose wet instabilities.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Red Flags Comments
The avalanches from yesterday left us suspicious and conservative in our route selection, abandoning plans for Rodeo Ridge and Chilly Peak. Wind loading and snow transport were evident across the Cutler zone, and while we did observe some cracking and one whumpf, we did not find much in the way of reactive test slopes despite a few attempts. Wind loaded terrain seemed to be somewhere between stubborn and reactive. The one observed whumpf was N facing just below 8000ft and despite being at a roll in the low 30 degree range did not slide. A small pocket (5 feet wide x 4 feet x 4 inches deep) at a steep spot in a gully fractured from a small crack overlying a crust on a N facing slope around 6400ft.
Comments
Wind effects were the greatest concern today. Observed moderate hazard along our travel route, likely similar for tomorrow. Photo of the small pocket release.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate