Observation Date
2/8/2015
Observer Name
Bruce Tremper
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Silver/Days
Location Name or Route
Alta to Silver and Days and return
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Bluebird day with warm temperatures. Incredible weather. Lots of very happy people.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Rain-Rime Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Yes, there are a variety of sun and wind effects, but the turning conditions are surprisingly good on the wind and sun sheltered slopes with about 3-5 inches of soft, dry, near-surface faceted snow and dense, settled snow. Yes, there are a lot of tracks but it's easy enough to find untracked. Mid to upper elevation northwest through northeast are best. Today there was a large number of people enjoying some of the popular terrain.

The south facing slopes were soft and turnable in the afternoon but if temperatures drop, like they are supposed to do tomorrow, they will be crusty.

Red Flags
Red Flags Comments
Yes, there are a lot of obvious wind slabs in upper elevations but I could not get any of them to crack or react. It seems with the warm temperatures and the passage of some time, they have healed up. No one seemed to be having any trouble with them including the resorts. Snow profiles from myself and other avalanche classes in the area are showing quite stable snow. The snow on the southerly aspects is damp to wet at most elevations but even on the steeper terrain in the heat of the afternoon, I could not get any wet sluffs going. So the bottom line is I think we are at mostly Low danger.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low