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Observation: Rodeo Ridge

Observation Date
3/22/2025
Observer Name
Derek DeBruin
Region
Ogden » Ben Lomond » Rodeo Ridge
Location Name or Route
Ben Lomond, Chilly Peak/Rodeo Ridge
Weather
Weather Comments
More bark than bite with this storm. Above 6500ft, picked up a couple inches of snow overnight, plus maybe another inch of graupel today. Little precip below 6500ft, and what did fall was rain. Wind was the headline, coming from nearly every direction at one time or another, and with some gusto. Wind transport seemed to account for more airborne snow than precipitation. Cloud level was 7000ft or below this morning, rising to about 8000ft by mid-afternoon. Visibility was not more than a few yards for many parts of the tour. Wind chill was definitely in play, but in the rare moment of calm, things felt relatively warm, perhaps hovering not much below freezing.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Characteristics Comments
Snow surface was a couple-few inches of mixed graupel and dense, with wind effects of all varieties. Beneath this was cakey and soft-ish snow above about 8000ft in relatively protected zones. Low elevations featured a damp surface, or damp under the new snow, generally supportive enough to still make for reasonable travel. In between lay the mid elevation transition zone, an unholy matrimony of wind affected, breakable crust, scoured, supportive and firm crust, and randomly soft-ish. However, for those fond of the occult or who dabble in the dark arts, there were turns to be had.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
Red flag today was undoubtedly wind. Soft slab formation was underway, but noted no cracking or collapsing underfoot. The biggest results we found were soft chunk sluffing on slopes over 40 degrees with firm/icy beneath. For a moment I glimpsed the skyline ridge behind the briefly thinning shroud of cloud and see cornice chunks and what appeared to be size 1 wind slab debris, but this apparition disappeared as quickly as it had materialized.
Comments
A moment of better visibility in the mid elevations today.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates