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Observation: Brighton Perimeter

Observation Date
2/8/2017
Observer Name
Dustin
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Brighton Perimeter
Location Name or Route
Brighton Perimeter
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Winds diminishing but steadily light out of the West, cloud cover rolling in around 3:00, plenty of sunshine until then.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Mixed bag but mostly wind boarded or damp. Most enjoyable riding for me had a hefty dose of East in it as the winds had wreaked havoc over the last 36 hours. Even the most sheltered terrain between Brighton and Alta was wind affected in many areas. Steep southerlies were justifiably considerable...saw a pinwheel that was probably bigger than a 50 Gallon trash can. But the sun was your friend today in the Brighton basin.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
Mentioned the wet activity. It was minor without much South at work. Other than that it seemed like even the blustery period of last night and Monday had a hard time transporting what dense snow we did get out of the storm that never was. Noted maybe a 150 foot wide crown a foot or two feet deep on the Patsy ridgeline that didn't run too far but would have maybe been a day ruiner. Some debris in the Cirque too but not running as far as the flats. I dug quick pits on NW, SE and W and did not find any of our surface hoar above 9000 feet. As Evelyn reiterated today, seems like you just have to stay high to avoid this issue...which we may be doing anyway if this next snow comes in wet as expected.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #1 Comments
Needed a steep slope with plenty of South. Did hear of one fairly slabby wet event on a South in Snake Creek. Otherwise seemed really manageable.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Didn't note much activity other than he aforementioned. Think the wind swung around enough that many slopes had trouble becoming active.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate