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Observation: Grizzly Gulch

Observation Date
1/18/2023
Observer Name
Zimmerman-Wall
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Grizzly Gulch
Location Name or Route
Grizzly Gulch
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
0500 start, 0830 finish. Winds were light in the early AM and almost calm below ridgeline. There was evidence of previous light snow transport on top of Patsey Marley. Some riming on ridgetop trees. Lots of snow covered trees in the main drainages indicated the wind had not been a factor during the recent snowfall.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
20"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Utah at its finest. Deep and light. 2-3m depth average in upper Grizzly and features are dissappearing. Stellar dendrites everywhere and it made skinning on existing skin tracks very slippery on the stepper sections. Trailbreaking was difficult due to shear depth. On top of Patsey on the westerly ridge, there was a very hard substrate (from stronger winds prior to latest storm) underneath the new low density snow.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Red Flags Comments
Volume of recent snow is impressive.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Needed sustained pitch, but you could get chunks of cornice and slope cuts to entrain snow. Perhaps more problematic is snow immersion in tree wells and cavities. Keep the kids close.
Comments
Tour was mostly in the dark with early morning skiing on North and South facing aspects. Both skied well and due to the depth of the new snow, the steeper the better. Watched Solitude patrol hiking Fantasy Ridge and blasting, new snow results only from what I could see. No signs of natural activity during the tour, however back at the car I looked up on the southwest facing pockets above the summer road at Alta and saw several long running loose dry avalanches of little consequence. Cornices up top are getting huge!
Photo 1: Wolverine Cirque looking mighty filled in under the pale blue light.
Photo 2: Patsey Trees still snow covered = not much wind.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates