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Observation: Mill D North

Observation Date
12/4/2023
Observer Name
McDonald
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mill D North
Location Name or Route
No Water - Dog Lake
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
The new snow from this weekend has started to consolidate into a scary slab that sits on top of the faceted snow that fell in October and November. Compression tests on north facing slopes over the weekend mostly resulted in failure within the new snow from the weekend and not on the old snow layer because of the density change during the storm. While there is still poor snowpack structure within the storm slab (4F below 1F), the compression test today resulted in the faceted old snow layer failing before the new snow failed
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
8,800'
Comments
This weekend was full of red flags, avalanches, whumphing, shooting cracks and scary pit results. I've never heard more whumphing in a day than I did on Sunday. As this new snow condenses our persistant weak layer seems to be more reactive with almost a meter of heavy snow dumped on top of it. I've seen enough to scare me away from any avalanche terrain for a while, which is fine because the low angle north facing trees are skiing nice and buttery right now!
Today's Observed Danger Rating
High
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High
Coordinates