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Observation Date
1/7/2015
Observer Name
Toddeo
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Broads Fork
Location Name or Route
Broads Fork, Upper Bowls and Diving Board.
Weather
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Warm day, not often in January can you stand around in the shady upper bowls and not get cold.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Mixed bag!

A marginal surface refreeze below 8000' last night, damp below a light crust. Corn like skiing in places below 8000' on the exit at 4 pm.

Above 8000', very variable.

Still some areas of rotted to the ground facets near the base of Bonkers and around thin rocky areas above all the way to the BCC/LCC ridge. Followed a boot track (thanks!) to the O'Sullivan/Twins pass and wallowed a bit.

In open areas the snow surface varies from settled/recrystillzed snow to rock hard wind crusts. HS>140cm in places to 40cm in thin rocky areas. snow felt dry above 10,000'.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Not sure how recent the avalanches are but 1 fairly recent release lookers right and above Blue Ice, this gully runs commonly. Ran onto the lookers left side of Diving Board (not uncommon). The east face of the twins also ran at some point, although there is newer snow over the debris. between this and the recent winds, not much snow up there. Slabs between Bonkers and the diving Board also ran down to bare rock. Less activity on solar aspects than I expected, this included looking down into LCC (one wet slab on a SE aspect, fairly minor). No real signs of instability while skiing today.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

This is my biggest concern right now. Moderate danger on sunny aspects. Waited until the afternoon shade to walk up the Diving Board.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments

I think I am ready to say low danger for this. The next storm cycle may be a primarily new snow event (unless we get a huge storm!)

Snow Profile
Aspect
Northeast
Elevation
9,200'
Slope Angle
32°
Comments

Snow profile in the vicinity of the Diving Board. No real surprises except that an ECTP broke across the rime crust (Q3). HS=100 cm in this area which I believe has not slid, it is sheltered from above by a rock/tree island.

I take 2 days of from skiing and the snow pack goes to all heck!

Moderate on sunny aspects and the lower elevations. Low or approaching low on shady north apscts.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate