Sign Up for the Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop (USAW) on December 7th!

Observation: The Cone

Observation Date
12/9/2022
Observer Name
Fink
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Butler Fork » The Cone
Location Name or Route
The Cone
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Present on all aspects, can be felt by pole probing essentially everywhere we went, whcih included SW-S-E-NE aspects between 8-9200'. I did trigger two collapses today. One was on the on the always suspect NW facing ridge of peak 9269 in an area experiencing windloading from SW winds ahead of the coming storm. The second, and more surprising was on the SE aspect of the small peak to the S of the Cone that is the top of the little japan area. This collapse occurred while I was breaking track through an area that had many skier tracks and was generally somewhat scoured. Both of these are like warning shots after the last few quiet days that with the winds kicking up and 1.5" SWE coming through Tuesday, there won't be a frankly safe aspect. The south, in particular, is not the safehaven it usually is.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Wind transport was ongoing and accumulating drifts on NE slopes. These were stubborn and would crack at ski tips but wouldn't move or propagate. Windslab is less of an issue than the load itself atop our basal weak layer.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates