March 30

Park City ridges to Spruces campground

Elevations, slope angles and aspects

7200-10000', angles over 35°, all aspects

Snow conditions

12-18" storm total from the last two days. Snow was right side up, winds backed off for the end of the storm. Bond at the old-new surface was good. Sluffing remained within surface layering.

sluffing

Cornices have grown quite large from the last few days of wind and are sensitive in places.

cornice-track

Drops onto slopes produced only sluffing.

cornice-kick

Short periods of sun, crusted some exposed east aspects in the morning. Clearing later in the day heated exposed south and west facing, turning those to mashed potatoes. North facing aspects below about 8500' were also heated.

Weather

Overcast early in the day with spits and sputters of snow. Partly cloudy by afternoon. Wind from the wnw, gusting into the 20 mph range at times.

wind-gust

Moderate temperatures.

Evaluation

Good settlement and decreased wind produced mostly stable snow. Instabilities were limited to sensitive cornices, surface sluffing and point release wet activity from warming

ninty-seven-eighty

. Weather guessers have another storm on the way, with increased wind once again suggested. Would expect another round of wind drifting, possibly sensitive.

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March 30 journal

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