Observation Date
3/2/2025
Observer Name
Manship, Champion, Collett
Region
Ogden
Location Name or Route
Hells Canyon
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
East
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Another beautiful spring feeling day. Temps were warm, skies were clear most of the day with some high clouds moving in through out the afternoon. Along upper ridgelines there as a noticeable breeze out of of the east.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
We found some acceptable turns on upper elevation, sheltered north where snow had remained cool and recrystalized the night previous. Moving down in elevation or veering to the west or east yielded a melt freeze crust. Slopes in the sun were warm and sticky by the time we got to them.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Warm temps easily turned the nights refreeze into water saturated snow. There was evidence of past wet slides in the areas we travelled.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
We haven't seen an avalanche on a persistent weak layer in some time and tests results have not been showing much instability. These seem to be signs that we are heading in the right direction in regards to the persistant weak layer becoming unreactive. We do still have facets in the snowpack and we haven't seen much of a load in week so I think it will be good to put some more water weight on this snowpack before the PWL's are put to rest. Areas that have a thinner snowpack such as repeater paths and outlying terrain are most suspect.
Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
8,600'
Slope Angle
34°
Comments
In this location we found a deep snowpack of 215cm. Weak layers are sintering and rounding. In this pit, our layer of concern was graupel and rounding facets above the Feb 5th crust buried 85cm down from the surface.
We noted some old wet avalanches that likely happened during the beginning of this warm up last week on steep E and SE facing slopes at mid elevations.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates
