Observation: Willows 1/22/2012

Observer Name:

Glew

Region:

Salt Lake
Big Cottonwood Canyon
Willows

Observation Date:

01/22/2012

Location or Route:

Willow

Weather

Sky:

Scattered

Wind Direction:

West

Wind Speed:

Light

Weather Comments:

Mostly sunny skies by the afternoon with clouds in the morning

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Density:

Medium

Snow Surface Conditions:

Powder

Wind Crust

Damp

Snow Characteristic Comments:

Found real nice supportable snow on low angle slopes making for some nice turns. I noticed exposed slopes were wind affected. The wind however made the snow more supportable for riding and sliding. By the late afternoon the southerly facing aspects seemed to be getting damp.

Red Flags

Recent Avalanches

Heavy Snowfall

Wind Loading

Cracking

Collapsing

Red Flag Comments:

In lieu of heavy snowfall on a rotten snowpack and seeing and creating numerous avalanches in days past, I tried to find the most benign terrain I could think of today. There was cracking and collpasing on all slopes today. I was amazed at the severe cracking on less than 20 degree slopes (see attached picuture) I also noticed a plethora of natural avalanches. Particularly in the meadows area of Silver fork.

Primary Concern

Primary Concern:

Deep Slabs

Probability:

High

Aspect:

North

Northeast

East

Southeast

South

Southwest

West

Northwest

Elevation:

High

Mid

Low

Trend:

Same

Primary Concern Comments:

The cracking and collpasing on every slope I encountered as well as natural and human triggered avalanches make me concerned about my life when in vacinity of all slopes over 30 degrees. These slopes want to slide. The weight of a human anywhere near these slopes could cause failure.

snow_profile_location:

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 1)

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 2)

The second picture is of the slides in silver fork that happened naturally during the storm.

Observed Danger Rating:

High

Forecast Danger Rating:

High