Quick report
- Aspect
- Northeast
- Red Flags
- Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 2713 m
- Slope Angle
- 27°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Several collapses extended across terrain features. Further than expected.</p>
Photo 1: Snowpack structure found in this area. This was similar on east and west-facing slopes.
Photo 2: Grains where slab failed. 1.5mm facets. sharp and angular.
Photo 3: Look at the Daly Chutes. This is a common area for people to ski early season before the Empire chair is open. Suspect terrain I would avoid.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Today's sensitivity of the facet layer along the Park City ridgeline was surprising. I observed several collapses and had multiple unstable test results, including ECTP2 and ECTP5.</p> <p> </p> <p> <strong>Weather Data:</strong></p> <p> Recent weather from the Empire Peak station indicates notably warm daytime high temperatures over the last six days. My guess is that the combination of previous strong winds and warm temperatures consolidated the upper snowpack and has led to the formation of a slab in this location versus other areas. </p> <ul> <li>12/19: 49°F</li> <li>12/20: 48°F</li> <li>12/21: 42°F</li> <li>12/24: 38°F</li> </ul> <p> </p> <p>Snowpit Observations:</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>At 8,900':</strong></p> <p> </p> <ul> <li>A 1 cm thick, relatively soft melt-freeze crust was present just below the new snow.</li> </ul><p> </p> <p> <strong>Closer to the ridgeline:</strong></p> <ul> <li>No wind-drifted snow was observed.</li> <li>A 12-inch thick, 1-finger hard slab was found beneath the new snow, resting on the same weak layer of facets.</li> </ul><p> </p> <p>The combination of a persistent weak layer, a growing slab, and additional snowfall forecasted warrants heightened caution in this area. </p>
Not much but it's a start!