Observation: Snowbasin

A huge thank you to Corey Kruse and Snowbasin Ski Patrol for the visit and partnership out in the field.

Photos:

#1 Snowpack structure on a NNWE-facing slope near 8750'

#2 Visibility at mid and upper elevations was limited until later in the afternoon

#3 2-4 inches of damp new snow fell, creating a thin but denser layer atop old weak snow on polars. We only experienced limited and very localized cracking, but this is a sign of what is to come with more of a load.

#4 Skies began to clear, and the cloud ceiling rose later in the afternoon.

Accumulations of up to 3" observed near upper elevations, with favored wind-blown areas seeing near 4 inches of new snow on top of the old surface. Above base level (8000' and above) new snow was primarily damp as due to warmer temperatures throughout much of the day. A mix of snow and rain at the base. On icy, crusty old surfaces on solar aspects, this helped new snow bond surprisingly well. On more faceted surfaces found on more polar aspects, this made for a denser layer of new snow atop 70-75cm of faceted snow from our period of high pressure. While this wasn't an issue in our travels, we were able to get localized cracking near the surface—a sign of what will come when more snow is added to create a larger slab over a very weak snowpack. 

HS on a NNE-facing slope near 8750' in an unmitigated area was 145cm, with 10cm of new snow sitting atop 75cm of well-developed facets. This sat above the New Years rain crust, which was decomposing with facets on either side. This interface is most suspect for large, future slides once we load the weak spx with more of a slab. Below this sat 20cm of less-developed facets, overlying the Christmas rain crust (CERC), which was significantly stouter than the New Years crust above, with graupel above. 

Coverage on solars at low and mid elevations was non-existent to meager, with even low elevation northerlies not harboring enough snow to warrant an persistent issue once more snow falls.