Observation Date
3/30/2020
Observer Name
Staples and Meisenheimer
Region
Ogden » Farmington Canyon
Location Name or Route
Farmington Lakes
Comments
We looked at a slide triggered yesterday (3/29) by a snowmobiler. Slope angle at the crown was 31 degrees. Average slope angle was 36 degrees with one small section approaching 40 degrees.
We couldn't find weak snow at the crown. The reason we went to this slide is that it occurred at the same aspect and elevation as one near Snowbasin on Friday, March 27. Drew and his partners found some small facets and surface hoar. We were curious if the same weak layer was responsible for this slide.
We couldn't find any facets. We couldn't find any in other pits nearby. We didn't see any obvious signs of instability other than the avalanche and 21 inches of new snow. No other slides or any cracking or collapsing.
We dug one last snowpit before heading home and finally got unstable results. ECTP 25 and 22 just above the same ice crust on which the avalanche broke. We found a few pieces of graupel and decomposing stellar snowflakes on top of the ice crust.
Overall mostly stable snow, but I wouldn't take that for granted. We kept our slope angles under 30 degrees on the slopes we were riding but weren't nervous about riding under steeper slopes.
First photo is stable snow that would not break above the ice crust 21 inches deep. Second photo is the ECT that fractured across the entire column at 25 and 22 taps.
Video
By the end of the day, snow in the trees was falling off as things warmed up and roller balls were going downhill but not gaining any mass.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates