Observation Date
12/18/2015
Observer Name
Aaron Rice
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Days Fork » Hide A Way Park
Location Name or Route
Hideaway park
Weather
Sky
Clear
Weather Comments
classic bluebird day in the Wasatch. Minus the stout-zipper rime crust.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Rain-Rime Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
As anyone out there noticed, a stout rime crust existed above ~7500 and got thinner as we went higher. Treed NW -> W facing slopes were about the only thing we found where the crust was thin enough that the skiing remained fun!
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Cracking
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Had a couple small collapses with cracking on mellow terrain on the skin track up West Bowl. Also noticed some warming around 11am on the Emmas, Likely not enough to be too much cause for alarm, but had the potential to reactivate a wind slab and create a nice stout, yet still breakable crust for our exit around 4:30.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
We stayed away from any avalanche terrain on the north side of the compass. With large avalanches being reported one ridge line away, cracking and collapsing, and a very poor snowpack structure it is just not worth testing these slopes.
We dug a quick pit on in sheltered north facing trees. We found very weak snow, but no slab at that location. Where there's slab there's scary conditions.
Comments
Around 4pm we saw a lone person setting the skinner up two dogs in upper main days. We waited to make sure he made it to the ridge safely. Playing with fire and getting away with it. This slope was rated Considerable today - "Human triggered avalanches are likely"
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates
