Observation Date
3/12/2014
Observer Name
Kikkert
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Kessler Peak
Location Name or Route
Kessler
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
East
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Winds were closer to the moderate category early in the morning (15-20 with gusts in the 30s), but appeared to rapidly calm down just a bit after sunrise. Plenty warm on east and southeast facing in the sun, but remained cool in the shade.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Characteristics Comments
Snow on east facing began to get damp around 11 am, with the first small wet sluffs coming of the cliffs in Catcher's Mitt. Not sure how wet things ended up getting, as we moved to west facing. Would guess there were a few decent sized wet sluffs that came out in the heat of the day. Nice skiing.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
I don't know if I would call it rapid warming, more just normal spring time sun related warming, but anyway, warming was the main avalanche issue today as the new snow warmed up for the first time. Would expect more of the same tomorrow. Mostly moderate in our time frame, but the mention of considerable for later in the day is reasonable. Would expect mostly the same tomorrow.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #1 Comments
Still some sluffing in the steeper terrain, often entraining a decent amount of snow, but running pretty slowly. Crossloading around terrain features had created some very small wind slabs on east facing terrain, they would crack out on ski cuts like a very soft slab, but really behaved more like loose snow slides, so just lump them in here.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #2 Comments
Like mentioned above, the expected wet loose activity seemed to be getting going on east facing around 11 am.
Comments
Photo below shows the two main avalanche issues for the day, 1) a small wind slab that pulled out on a ski cut, running as a sluff and entraining a bit of snow, and 2) a small wet point release coming off the cliff bands around 11 am as the new snow started to get wet. Both manageable with either slope cuts or changing terrain as the snow got wet.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
