Greg Gagne

Salt Lake

Mt. Wolverine

After spending the last week or so in BCC as well as Millcreek, wanted to return to upper LCC to have a look at things following the strong winds occurring around the Solstice. Did a quick Mt. Wolverine circuit and was finding wind affected snow from 8500' to the summit of Wolverine (~10,800') Generally was finding wind deposits on lee aspects from the SW winds, but was also finding some cross-loading and drifting on virtually all aspects. Wind slabs were quite stout, pencil-hard. Was finding some 30-45 cms (12-18") thick. In some steep rocky areas you could insert your ski pole down through the slab to weaker snow below, although for the most part I was finding the wind slabs to be sitting on top of strong snow. The wind slabs were not sensitive to any stability tests (ski cuts, quick hand pits.) Despite the increasing wind during the afternoon, was not finding much fresh snow being transported, most likely due to whatever snow that was available for transport has either already been transported or sublimated in the dry winds the past several days. Ski and boot penetrations today were shallow - typically a few cms in the upper elevations. One thing I found of interest today was where the few cms of new snow from Sunday morning that had fallen on dense wind slabs. Where the wind hasn't scoured the snow surface, the Sunday morning snow may form a weak layer below Monday's storm snow, and the wind slabs an excellent bed surface. Also, as of this past Thursday, the old snow surface was beginning to facet as well as some surface hoar was noted. It is possible some lower and mid elevations that were not wind affected may have some weak snow near the surface preserved. Like what many others have observed, the snowpack in upper LCC seems much deeper and stronger than elsewhere in the central Wasatch. From what I have seen this past 7-10 days and assuming we get the storminess currently being forecasted, my hunch is that the most likely avalanche concerns this coming week are: (1) primarily new snow in upper LCC, (2) new snow as well as mid-pack weaknesses outside of upper LCC. These mid-pack weaknesses have been well documented by forecasters as well as public observers.