Observation: Broads Fork

Observation Date
2/6/2025
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Broads Fork
Location Name or Route
Broads Fork
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Moderate SW winds down in the drainage, Strong SW winds on the high peaks moving what snow there is to move.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Rain-Rime Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
All sorts of surface snow conditions, damp down lower, melt freeze crust in the shade, breakable wind crust, supportable wind buff and some wind-buff groupel on the main NE facing slopes, wind scoured rime and heat crust on the W.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Comments
Went up Broads Fork to see what the recent heat wave did. As expected there were a number of slides, some smaller ones were storm slabs from the last little storm, some wet slides and a nice glide avalanche cycle on Bonkers the Diving Board and the Blue Ice. The glides in the DB and the Blue Ice probably happened a few days ago, the one on Bonkers might have been yesterday. The snow is mostly wind affected but supportable, there's a wind/heat crust that's a few inches thick with dry snow underlying it at 8000ft and above. If the new snow comes in damp it should stick fairly well to most surfaces. We've lost a good portion of the lower elevation snowpack sadly, i had to walk in dirt all the way to the bridge at 7000ft. Photos: Bonkers glide avalanche, wet activity on the SE and a lot of bare ground on the lower elevations.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates