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Observation: Cutler Ridge

Observation Date
1/16/2023
Observer Name
Derek DeBruin, KJ, RJ
Region
Ogden » Ben Lomond » Cutler Ridge
Location Name or Route
Ben Lomond, Cutler Ridge
Weather
Weather Comments
Fairly mild temps today; felt like upper 20s F. Overcast skies in the morning were accompanied by maybe 4cm accumulation of rimed stellars by 10am. Skies cleared just a bit for about an hour. By 11am the cloud ceiling lowered progressively, keeping us in the fog the rest of the day. Snow began again at the mid elevations shortly thereafter, with on and off S1 rimed forms. Wind was uncharacteristically light, with a bit of generally southerly breeze on the Cutler Ridge itself. However, there was ample evidence of the recent high winds with numerous down branches (and a new tree across the skin track in Refrigerator Canyon that was listing heavily and finally succumbed to the heavy snow load sometime while we were out).
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Picked up perhaps 2 final inches of snow this morning from the storm beginning 14 January, and another inch or two when the snow turned back on around 11am.
Comments
We found stable snow in the low and mid elevations. Hasty pits yielded medium to hard hand shears and about 30-40cm of total snow from this storm. The usual tricks with hands and poles showed the top 5cm or so might be susceptible to dry loose avalanches. Stomping and test slopes showed occasional and limited cracking just at the skies, breaking stubbornly about 15cm down. A small handful of careful ski cuts gave no results other than some sluffing.
Feeling encouraged by seemingly good bonding at the storm interface and lack of significant results within the new snow, we cautiously stepped out with each lap. Broaching a bit steeper as we went, we were rewarded with soft turns.
Can't comment on upper elevations as we couldn't see them from a distance due to fog/clouds, and had no motivation to travel there since we had plenty of seemingly stable snow already.
First photo is probably the highest visibility moment of the day.
Second photo is some direct testing of the surface snow conditons ;)
Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates