Observation Date
1/18/2016
Observer Name
T Diegel
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Silver Fork » West Bowl
Location Name or Route
upper Silver Fork
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
was snowing much harder than we anticipated; 3-6" through tonight was forecasted, but we saw 5-6" on a 2-hour old skin track and it just kept coming.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
8"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
Given the high PI rate I was getting increasingly twitchy about being on steeper slopes on any aspect. And while the wind wasn't howling, it was consistent enough that I was concerned about e-facing, cross-loaded Emmas for our exit. A couple of guys had just skinned up one of the Emmas and said "no problem" but that didn't really allay my fears much, and we tried to stay on the ribs as much as possible for the (early) descent.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
I think that if one had the means there could be some good action on the steeper, north-facing, windloaded slopes of the Days/Silver headwalls. But there were not remote triggers, so the slabs weren't well-developed (yet?) for that to happen.
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northeast
Elevation
9,600'
Slope Angle
30°
Comments
a quick hand pit dug while heading up the mighty West Bowl Silver indicated that I couldn't isolate a block without it failing about 14" down and again about another foot below that. We entered the area via the moderately-treed shot to the west of Davenport hill, which had slid....at some point recently, and was getting reloaded.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
