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Observation: Dog Leg Trees

Observation Date
1/10/2025
Observer Name
Pagnucco, Weed
Region
Logan » Providence Canyon » Dog Leg Trees
Location Name or Route
Dog Leg Trees
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Quiet day in the backcountry. It started out partly cloudy, then increasing clouds throughout the afternoon. Temps in the 20's F.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Rain-Rime Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
We found surface hoar at mid and low elevations in sheltered terrain. It disappeared around 8000'. Above 8300' there was a patchy thin rime crust. Most significant of all was the weak surface snow in general in N facing terrain. The top 6" has faceted during the past week's high pressure and is cohesion-less.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
This was our first time getting up high in this area, and we were slightly surprised to find a shallower snowpack in the starting zones. A slab over facets exists but a few hundred feet below normal starting zones. Some shallow wind pillows but none made any noise.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Pretty quiet up here with the PWL
ECTX. We have now developed weak surface snow, so that will be the main issue with the incoming storm. If we get over an inch of water. we could see PWL activity but I don't think that's in the forecast.
Comments
Pretty good riding conditions on fast, faceted surface snow.in sheltered terrian. We found some stiff wind crusts in exposed, upper-elevation terrain. (Similar to what we found on the backside of Pebble Creek yesterday.)
Coverage is still relatively thin in this area with depths ranging from 80 cm -110cm.
The first pit it fairly representative of the snowpack above 8800' on N-facing terrain (in this area).
The second pit is more representative of 8300' N- facing though a tree bomb may be responsible for some of the greater density.
We have reports of a much deeper snowpack in the central part of the range.
Surface Hoar
Surface Hoar - 5-10 mm.
Settlement
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate