Observation: Broads Fork 4/11/2011

Observer Name:

Hardesty, Eastman, Sherman

Region:

Salt Lake
Big Cottonwood Canyon
Broads Fork

Observation Date:

04/11/2011

Weather

Sky:

Clear

Wind Speed:

Light

Weather Comments:

Hot. Haven't looked at temps yet, but the temps skyrocketed today and the snow suffered for it. Only steep north facing snow above about 10k likely remains cold.

Red Flags

Rapid Warming

Red Flag Comments:

Just like clockwork with high direct sun and rapid warming, wet point releases cascaded out of the steep rocky terrain. Would've been poor judgement to jump into anything that had seen the sun for a little while. Beware the cold snow (particularly after a 30-40") storm that sees rapid warming and sun for the first time. Hazard would be rated as Considerable as a baseline for wet snow slides. Some point releases 'gouged' down into the storm snow a couple feet down. Wouldn't call this a wet slab, however. This in terrain looker's right of Bonkers in Broads.

snow_profile_location:

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 1)

Went to look at the large glide avalanche as reported by Todd Glew from the day before (Sunday). Looks like it pulled out early Sunday morning - as there was a couple settled inches on the debris. Glide estimated 6-10' deep 200' wide, pulling out the storm snow (3-4') adjacent to it. The storm snow slab perhaps 400' wide.

Video 1:

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 2)

Terrain choice is everything - both for mitigating your exposure to hazard as well as choosing the best snow. We spread 100 yards apart underneath while traveling in the basin beneath Bonkers, the Blue Ice, the Diving Board and the Twins and quickly gained the Broads/Mill B South ridgeline while the snow was still cool. We opted to descend from the last 'hump' on the ridge down the long northwest facing run back to the creek. Why? The NW had only seen the most oblique angle of sun and showed little sign of sun/heat effect. Storm instabilities had settled out and the snow was stable.

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 3)

Felt like we were exiting out of a rainforest during a deluge. Tree bombs led to a virtual downpour in the heavily forested canopy on the exit of Broads. Passed a group headed up to go camping in Broads Fork. Rapid warming, sun, downpour in the forest, widespread wet sluffing and some gouging into the storm snow....

Video 3: