Observation: Salt Lake - Utah Avalanche Center

Observation Date

12/31/2012

Observer Name

Paradis / Brackelsberg

Region

Salt Lake

Location Name or Route

Box Canyon

Weather

Sky

Clear

Wind Speed

Calm

Weather Comments

Quite cold with little wind.

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Depth

10"

New Snow Density

Low

Snow Surface Conditions

Powder

Snow Characteristics Comments

Recent snowfall has remained cold on most aspects. In some more shaded areas it started to feel like the snow is changing from new powder snow into something more loose. South aspects have a bit of a sun crust.

Red Flags

Poor Snowpack Structure

Red Flags Comments

The snow in this area is much thinner than in the upper cottonwoods and has multiple crusts that provide opportunities for failure. Forecaster Comments: Andy/Chad - Thanks for getting into this terrain - good to get reports from outlying areas. Hardesty

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

New Snow

Problem #1 Comments

In our snowpit tests, our results produced a nice slab failing on facets 75cms deep. In the attached photo, the slab was composed of two parts - one about 35cms thick and another denser 10cm layer that may have been due to the wind event earlier this month.

Snow Profile

Aspect

Northwest

Elevation

9,400'

Slope Angle

30°