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Observation: Albion Basin

Observation Date
11/16/2014
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Albion Basin
Location Name or Route
Rocky Point
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Cold clear and windy on the ridgelines.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

Much of the lighter snow from yesterday had been wind effected and stiffened up by the wind and the cold temps in exposed terrain. Also noted was some snow transport.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Comments

Went Back up to Rocky Point to look at a few slides closer with Brett Kobernik. We want to look at the Rocky Point Slide which turned out to be about 3 times as large as I first reported, the little pocket on So Long and also got to take a look at the large connected slide in Devils Castle with permission from the Alta ski Patrol. I'll leave it up to Kowboy to tell you what we found, but it was quite interesting. New snow had settled out to about 8 or 9 inches with many settlement cones developing. The new snow in exposed terrain was getting inverted by the strong winds and some good size drifts were forming on the lee side of ridges. Did not note any new avalanche activity but didn't seem like anybody was looking to ski on steeper slopes with old snow underlying them. Phots, wind blasting on the rige, Bed surface of the Rocky Point slide

I would say still sticking with Considerable on High NE through NW, low on other slopes

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable