Observation Date
2/10/2014
Observer Name
John Lemnotis
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Grizzly Gulch
Location Name or Route
Grizzly Gulch
Weather
Sky
Broken
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
East
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Light snow for our 8:30 start tapered off after a couple of hours.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
3'
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
The top few inches felt less dense than what I was feeling over the weekend in BCC but overall the storm snow is very dense with multiple density changes in the top 2-3' of the snow pack.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Cracking
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Didn't feel any collapsing this morning but all other red flags were present and accounted for.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
With Multiple density changes throughout the storm cycle there are many layers within the new snow where an initial slide could be triggered. You can feel the many layers when probing through the snow with your pole and hand pits in some areas would shear cleaning at density breaks (spatial variability). I would suspect these layers to settle a bit before getting loaded by the next storm later this week.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
A very significant load was added to our poor snowpack structure over the last few days. Many of us have seen the remnants of natural or human triggered avalanches. In some recent pits I've seen a relatively strong snowpack but an absolutely terrible structure. Multiple weak layers that have 4 or 5 lemons. If the slope hasn't slid yet it's a matter of finding that trigger point. I'm especially weary of avalanches breaking in the storm snow and stepping down.
Comments
Excellent turning on low angle slopes
Cut a cornice on the east ridge of Patsy Marley. It was not very large, maybe half the size of a fridge, took the top 4-6" of snow down slope about 300'
Noticed this large natural on the way out of our tour today. It appeared to be a cross loaded slope running a long distance into a terrain trap below Emma Ridge. Sorry if this is a repeated post I didn't check all obs before posting.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
High
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High
