Observation: Park City Ridgeline

Observation Date
12/17/2020
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline
Location Name or Route
PC Ridgeline
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Moderate Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Windy on the ridge line not so bad down in the drainage, light snowfall in the am increasing in the pm, rain snow line be seemed to be around 7000ft
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
3"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Not a whole lot of new snow at the time we left around 3pm but it was picking up on our exit. The snow was a bit denser than what we've been getting recently which was creating a density inversion.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
6 out of 7 red flags about says it all
Comments
Travel today was up USA Bowl, then on to Scott's Bluff, No Name, and South Monitor. There was lots of wind loading going on in both Scott's and SM but not much wind in No Name. We triggered a small avalanche in N N Bowl that I put on the avy list. Walking the skiers far right side of South Monitor we triggered multiple collapses complete with shooting cracks, but nothing slid very far due to the lower angle terrain we were in. At this point in time you can dig all the snow pits you want but the hazard is in your face without them, collapses, shooting cracks, recent avalanches, poor snowpack structure and now a slab forming on top due to denser new snow and wind.
photos: shooting crack on the shoulder of South Monitor, old shallow slide in SM, and heavy snowfall in the afternoon
Things might bump up to high if we get the wind and snow expected overnight
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High