Observation: Caribou Basin

Observation Date
11/12/2022
Observer Name
B
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Brighton Perimeter » Caribou Basin
Location Name or Route
Snake Creek Canyon/Caribou
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Clear skies overnight gave way to increasing thin Scattered Cloud Cover. Of Note: Overnight Low Temperatures were 15 degrees warmer than the previous day. Temperatures appeared to rise into the upper 20's at and above 9500 feet. SSW Winds were active in the high end of the Light Category on the 9900 foot ridge lines, with Moderate Gusts. Wind Blown/and or Transport was Light. Other remote weather stations indicated high velocities.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Varying thicknesses of m/f Crusts were on the aspects on the lower half of the compass early in the morning. Low angle East, All North, and Low angle West all held cold dry snow. The significant settlement we have been experiencing over the past 72 hours (20%) has riding conditions becoming shallower, but still bottomless and excellent. In many places, the Low Angle Riding has improved drastically and become faster. No significant Sluffing noted yet on the steeper terrain as the surface snow continues to show signs of faceting with the cold temperatures. Once again the solars took on warmth and became damp on all aspects on the lower half of the compass up to 10,500 feet. Stubborn/Unreactive old Wind Skins and Slabs were observed on the exposed Leaward/Northerly Upper Elevation aspects.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
Temperatures continued to remain Cold, yet the Warm Up of 15 degrees over the last 24 hours was noticeable. The only Red Flags observed, and this was minimal and insignificant were small "Dribbler's" on the steep Sunny Aspects. Travel was limited to the Upper Elevations, and there may have been some limited activity between 8000 and 8700.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Normal Caution
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Despite having an unusually dense/supportable/deep/stable snowpack above 8500 feet for this time of year, there are still early season hazards lurking below our beautiful snow cover.
HS at 9500 feet was 120 cm.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates