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Observation: Home Run

Observation Date
12/28/2025
Observer Name
Climaco
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline » Home Run
Location Name or Route
Home Run Bowl
Weather
Sky
Clear
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
8"
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

A dense layer of new, wind-drifted snow lay at the top of the snowpack I examined at 9370 on the NE facing slope. This is atop the Xmas crust which appears very supportable at this point. In steeper terrain it would be say to see a slide entraining a lot of this new snow and running fast and hot on the crust. Earlier while skinning a steeper N facing slope I noted that the crust quickly created slide for life conditions when the new snow was pushed off.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments

The junk is still in the trunk, lurking below the crust. It seems like it’s strengthening, but If you manage to get the crust to fail, the party is over.

Snow Profile
Comments

Today I was pleasantly surprised by these stability and quality of the snow on the Park City ridgeline. I performed an ECT and I had propagation at ECT14, a collapse above the Xmas crust at ECT17 and the entire column at ECT 24. Things skied much better than expected and the dense and spongy layer of new snow kept me from touching the crust in all but one or two turns. Definitely the best day of the year and yet, definitely staying off steeper slopes on the N half of the compass until things settle a bit.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates