Observation: Cutler Ridge

Observation Date
2/14/2020
Observer Name
Ben and Den
Region
Ogden » Ben Lomond » Cutler Ridge
Location Name or Route
Cutler
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
It started off as a sunny day in the morning. At about 11 the clouds started to roll in and the wind picked up. It was a warm day even up high until the winds picked up.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
It is a mixed bag out there from shiny ice to wind buff with a breakable crust. We went out with the goal of looking in the snow for new and interesting layers. It was a success lots of interesting layers out there right now. (See the video). Multiple shovel burpings were resulting lots of clean breaks on multiple snow interfaces, however, multiple ECT would not propagate. I . We will see what happens if we get a big load to shock some of these layers. Skiing and riding conditions were difficult. Breakable crust on almost all aspects and elevations we could see. Even with the melt freeze shine on everything the wind was still transporting snow in to small think wind skins. The biggest hazard out there right now is the breakable crust. We did find some tolerable snow in the mid-elevation sheltered northerly aspects.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Problem #1 Comments
It seems like most the ridge lines had very small pockets of wind slab formed on top of the melt freeze crust. They were easy to release in very small "sluff slabs"
Video
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low