December 6
Area:
Dry Fork and Snake Creek from Alta.
Elevations, Slope angles, and slope aspects:
8300’-10’600’. Angles over 45°. All aspects.
Avalanche activity:
Small, loose snow wet slides off of rocky areas on southeast. Small rollers on southwest. No other activity.
Slopes skied:
Southeast facing Supreme. East-northeast facing from Peak 10’500? mid Dry Fork to 8700’. East facing shoulder of Sunset into Snake Creek.
Snow surface and conditions:
Snow totals range from 10-30” depending on aspect and elevation. Didn’t check total on backside of Supreme. Conditions range the gamut. Supportable crust on south facing early melting from daytime heating. More wind damage from the recent northwest winds extending well down into drainages. Some settled powder, Shallow snow depth has resulted in faceting extending down into the snow pack. In sheltered areas the tails of the skis are sinking close to the ground with weighted turns. Pole penetration in the same areas is to the ground with moderate to easy resistance.
Weather:
Another bluebird day. Northwest winds of 5-15mph decreased in the afternoon.
Snow pit:
None. Pole probing provided required info in the shallow snow pack.
Evaluation:
Snow is stable. No indications of fracture potential with extensive ski cutting on drifted areas. Outside the wind and sun crusts in sheltered terrain, the snow is quickly faceting. I’d expect this to continue given the current forecast with potential existing for a near future unsupportable depth hoar snow pack given the depth of cover.
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