Observation: Cottonwood Canyons

Observation Date
3/1/2020
Observer Name
Gagne
Region
Salt Lake » Cottonwood Canyons
Location Name or Route
Upper LCC Perimeter
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
North
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Winds switched northerly around 3 pm.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
6"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
10-15 cms (4-6") new.
Comments
Waited til the afternoon for more snow to accumulate. Travel today was from Alta: East Bowl -> Flanagan's with return to Alta via Davenport. Saw no natural activity today, but could get sluffs to run fast and far once slopes approached 35 degrees. Old snow surfaces varied quite a bit. On northerly aspects was finding weaknesses within storm snow, but on anything that had a crust (west/south/east) the storm snow had not bonded well to the old snow surface and would run on the crust. Some sluffs ran ~250', with debris piles up to 3'.
Also noticed the Feb 7 Dickens Crust beginning to break down, with weak facets below the deteriorating crust on steep, upper elevation northerly aspects.
For Monday, not enough new snow to be much of a concern with sluffs on northerly aspects, and loose wet on solar aspects. Period of easterly winds overnight may create some unusual loading, but any fresh drifts would be shallow pockets.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate