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Observation: White Pine
Observation Date
2/23/2021
Observer Name
John Lemnotis
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » White Pine
Location Name or Route
White Pine
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Sky was fully obscured leaving the TH around 8:15a and gradually cleared throughout the day until the sun came out upon our exit at 2:15p. Wind was blowing steady light and gusting to moderate from the NW. Loading was noted on pink pine ridge where the previous days skin track was filled in above 8500' where the ridge was exposed. W and S facing slopes have been heavily affected by yesterdays sun with pin wheels, roller balls, and long running stuffs being present on small terrain features and W scotties area. The snow surface stayed cool due to winds, temps, and cloud cover today.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
The snow surface was variable depending on aspect and elevation today. Wests had a solid crust that wasn't supportable. NW-NE-E aspects up to 9800' contained about 8-10cm of dense loose or wind blown snow depending on exposure that capped the prominent 2mm rime crust. We felt the rime nearly everywhere including reasonably protected tree runs. HS on Pink Pine at 8700 E was 180cm with the bottom ~20cm feeling significantly weaker while probing. HS around the Spire on W/NW areas near 9600' were 200cm with a similarly weak feeling basal layers upon probing. Also saw an old crown from the last avalanche cycle on N facing Red Baldy at 10K'. Crown appeared several hundred feet wide. Apologies if this was already reported I may have missed it, there were so many.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
We continue to suffer from a poor snowpack structure that will not heal in the immediate future. The best mitigation of this problem is avoiding slopes where the PWL is present or connected to a PWL and is avalanche terrain.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None