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Observation: Silver Fork

Observation Date
1/8/2023
Observer Name
Kelly
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Silver Fork
Location Name or Route
Silver Fork
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Winds were southwesterly moderate gusting to strong. There were gusts lower in the basins from north-east winds. They must have been wrapping around terrain features. No snow until the tail end of the tour when light snow started to fall. I observed areas of wind loaded snow and wind scoured. With these high winds there was wind loading going on 200' below the ridgetop in West Bowl.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Variable snow condtions. Photo below shows flagging (winds moving snow off ridgetops) off the high peaks in upper LCC as well as wind loaded snow surface.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Cornice
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Observed cornice (natural or human?) triggered avalanches on the Silver Fork Headwall. Primarily involving the new wind drifted snow. See avalanche observation HERE.
Cornice building over ridgeline above Days Fork.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
I did not see any avalanche activity on the PWL (persistent weak layer) in locations where I traveled today.
Snow Profile
Aspect
Southwest
Elevation
10,200'
Slope Angle
25°
Comments
I wanted to dig a snowpit in a location that was similar to where I dug on 12/25/2022. Read more about that snowpit HERE. The dirt layer was still intact. The facets (PWL) were 4F instead of F and an ECT gave no results today where we got an ECTP on the 25th of December.
Overall it shows a healing snowpack with the PWL gaining hardness and showing increased stability. The temperatures in today's pit show more steady temperature gradient which means that the facets are slowly turning to rounds. The faceted layer is still dry at this location and this could be atrributed to being in a higher elevation zone (above 10,000').
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates