Observation: Little Cottonwood Canyon 11/10/2011

Observer Name: 
Mark White
Region: 
Salt Lake
Little Cottonwood Canyon
Observation Date: 
11/10/2011
Location or Route: 
Snowbird cirque
Weather
Sky: 
Clear
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Wind Speed: 
Light
Weather Comments: 

warming conditions with a warm southerly breeze

Snow Characteristics

Snow Surface Conditions: 
Powder
Snow Characteristic Comments: 

Snow layering was as follows total snow depth 25 inches, 8 inches of light density powder, sitting ontop of 3 inches of loose faceted snow, ontop of a melt freeze crust of varying thickness about 2 to 3 inches thick in my location rapidly weakening and breaking down, all ontop of 8 to9 inches of fairly large grain faceted rotten snow from the Oct. storm. Basically two destinct weak layers seperated by a weakening MF crust. Was in the same general area tuesday and got one large collapse with stress fractures throughout the slope were the MF crust was weaker on a NE facing slope around 10500ft. Today got two large collapses with stress fractures starting were the MF crust was weaker about the same aspect and elevation as tuesday. My thoughts on it not sliding are mainly no slab on top and not enough weight on the weak layers yet.

Red Flags

Cracking
Collapsing
Elevation: 
10200'
Aspect: 
North
snow_profile_location: 
Comments - Photos - Videos (group 1)

snow layering

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