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Observation: Session Mountains

Observation Date
1/10/2025
Observer Name
Kelly, Thompson, Spencer
Region
Salt Lake » Session Mountains
Location Name or Route
North of the Session Mountains
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Skies were clear to partly cloudy with high thin clouds later in the afternoon. Winds were blowing from the west in the moderate category. Nearby weather station at 7,237' (Hardscrabble) had temperatures in the high 20's and low 30's °F throughout the day.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Snow surface was a mixed bag of wind crust and faceted loose or soft surface powder in the protected tree zones. There were more areas that were heavily wind affected above 8,000' than not.
Photo below of wind affected snow on a ridgeline at 8,500' in elevation
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Problem #1 Comments
Wind drifted snow on the east and west facing slopes. Many of these slopes over 8,000' in elevation showed both wind loading and wind scouring.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #2 Comments
Weak faceted crystals in thinner snowpack areas are still dry.
Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
8,400'
Slope Angle
23°
Comments
The above snow profile was on a north facing slope at 8,460' . The height of snow was 5' (153cm). The temperature gradient showed that this snowpit had facets turning to rounds and our extended column test in this location showed no propagation. In thinner areas less than 3' (100cm) the weak facets on the ground were drier and more developed. We observed no cracking or collapsing and avoided steep connected slopes over 30 ° in steepness.
We saw signs of wind loading and recent avalanche activity on north and west facing aspects. See photos below. The west facing avalanche was a wind drifted avalanche on a steep bank above the skyline road. This avalanche was 2' deep x 100' wide x 40 'vertical with impressive blocks.
The second avalanche we saw was on a north facing slope around 8,500'. This looked to be an avalanche that was older that failed on buried facets.
Photo Z. Thompson
Where we traveled today it felt like LOW danger at lower elevations and MODERATE danger at mid elevations. For now, I'm still avoiding steep terrain with a thinner snowpack out of the wind zone and will back off even further with any additional new snow or wind loading.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates