Observation Date
11/19/2015
Observer Name
Evelyn
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Guardsman Pass area
Location Name or Route
Guardsman road towards Scotts Pass
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Balmy, with air temperature near 40F.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Northerly facing slopes have a mixed snow surface - powder, dense loose, wind crusts
Briefly looked at low elevation, northerly facing snow - moist.
Southerly facing slopes had moist to damp snow, where there was snow.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Cracking
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
A few cracky, old shallow wind drifts where I was. Lots of cracking in the snow, to the ground, but very localized. While the whole snowpack is generally weak (ski pole basket to the ground), current snow surface didn't seem especially faceted.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
The few inches of faceted snow sitting on the ground continue to be main concern, and are widespread on the upper elevation west through north through easterly facing slopes. I still don't have a good feel for the lowest elevation of dry weak facets. In wind sheltered terrain, there's not enough of a slab or weight for there to be a problem, and ECT's wouldn't propagate. But where the snow was a little deeper, and stiffer, I finally could get full propagation.
Increasing danger with expected winds and snow.
Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
9,300'
Comments
Profile is an average of several pits dug between 8800 and 9300'. No propagation on ECT's until I found a slightly more wind affected and deeper spot. Average snow depth 35 to 45 cm (14 to 18"). No surprise that a few slopes with a hard wind slab on top released with explosives on Wednesday. I had a few thin mid pack weak layers fail on CT's, but not consistently.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
