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Observation: Bonus Bowl

Observation Date
1/15/2024
Observer Name
Kelly/Staples
Region
Salt Lake » Mill Creek Canyon » Bonus Bowl
Location Name or Route
Bonus Bowl
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Winds picked up around 8000'.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Soft powder below 8000 feet. Wind affected powder in exposed locations above 8k.
it almost sounded like the not layer of powder had started to facet a little bit. It sounded that way but we didn't look at the snow crystals with a lens.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
We had collapses every few minutes while skinning up. More lower and fewer up higher. Not sure exactly why.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
The PWL of near surface facets from December is alive and well.
Comments
We looked at two slides that came down gullies in the 1000 Springs area and hit the road in Mill Creek. Possibly last night during strong winds. It wasn't safe to go up the gullies to find the crown faces, so we ascended a ridge to on the looker's right (west) side of Bonus Bowl.
Two things stood out to me:
  1. There were many small slides along the road, and then we saw that most or all of Bonus bowl had avalanches.
  2. We experienced widespread collapsing.
For those reasons, we did not feel comfortable touching avalanche terrain. In fact, while skiing up we had an inclinometer out the whole time and we constantly evaluating the terrain and the terrain above us.
Photo showing where winds stripped snow off the trees and left it on others. Also photo showing how strong winds blew from the north through the 1000 Springs area likely causing the two natural slides to hit the road. Pine needles on the snow = evidence of wind.
Photos of avalanches that hit the road, along the road, and in Bonus Bowl. They have been recorded as separate avalanche observations, but are included here as well.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
High
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High
Coordinates