Observation Date
3/17/2015
Observer Name
Glew
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Grizzly Gulch
Location Name or Route
Grizzly Gulch
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Another warm day in the mountains. Scattered clouds and light winds kept things from totally cooking where I was above 8500ft. I ventured out of the backcountry to ski lifts at Alta around 130 pm.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

The snow was supportable and softened nicely on skis where I traveled on low angle south and north facing terrain. I skied in Alta in the afternoon and noticed the snow got even slushier than the day before. Fun spring skiing.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
I only saw a couple smaller slides coming off expected locations such as below cliff bands. However they are wet slides and if you get caught in one consequences are high. It didn't freeze for a few days and it seemed to get even hotter today. It doesn't look like we will get a deep freeze tonight and tomorow is forcasted to be another warm day. I would imagine the cooling tonight will not drasically stabilize our wet and weak snowpack and tomorrow could have similar hazard to today.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

I would assume that we need a solid refreeze before our potential for wet avalanches decreases.

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