Observation: Twin Lakes Pass

Observation Date

2/11/2026

Observer Name

Hardesty and Pagnucco

Region

Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Grizzly Gulch » Twin Lakes Pass

Location Name or Route

Twin Lakes Pass

Weather

Sky

Overcast

Precipitation

Light Snowfall

Wind Direction

West

Wind Speed

Moderate

Weather Comments

Warm and windy, but not too windy. Felt maritime with a rain-snow line of about 7500', perhaps a touch higher. Rain lower in the canyon provoked some small natural wet loose sluffs on north facing terrain.

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Depth

New Snow Density

High

Snow Surface Conditions

Powder

Snow Characteristics Comments

Surfy. Good body to mask the old crusts on low angle.

Red Flags

Recent Avalanches

Wind Loading

Cracking

Collapsing

Poor Snowpack Structure

Red Flags Comments

Collapsing and cracking in all wind loaded areas. We triggered three size 1 soft slabs that failed on the new/old surface of weak facets.

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Wind Drifted Snow

Trend

Same

Problem #1 Comments

"Lose the wind, lose the problem". Collapsing and cracking of the new wind slabs on the surface facets were regular in wind loaded terrain but not otherwise. East facing seemed most active...and just lee of ridgelines. We triggered three separate wind pockets; the most interesting was remotely triggered 50' away.

Comments

Plenty of cracking and collapsing where the wind had developed cohesive slabs. Note the obvious shallow slab over the weak surface snow.

Today's Observed Danger Rating

Moderate

Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating

None

Coordinates

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