Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Weather Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Class List UAC Class List Online Classes Resources and Tutorials Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation: Hogum

Observation Date
2/12/2016
Observer Name
Tyler Falk
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Hogum
Location Name or Route
Red Pine to Hogum
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Some gusts on the 11k ridgelines but no snow around for transport. The inversion is creaping up the canyons. Its around the powerplant in LCC. 55 degrees at White Pine trailhead when going down canyon at 330pm. 20 degrees colder down canyon. Harder freeze than expected.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Surprised to still find dry dense snow at mid to upper elevations on shady aspects. Mid elevation east aspects were saturated and unsupportable by 11am. Lower elevation exit was better than expected due to the temperature inversion and almost no wet snow and no sun on my gully exit. Seams counter intuitive but I believe in some locations mid elevation aspects have more danger for wet activity than lower elevation areas.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Fairly fat snowpack in my travels today but do agree with Trent's observation the other day that dranages further from Alta have a weaker snowpack. On north aspects at 10k I have been seeing around 200 cm of snow around Alta, further down canyon I have been seing more like 160cm at simmilar elevations in dranages like Hogum.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #1 Comments

With the warm temps and light refreeze this was our main concern although most of the major wet activity went off a few days ago.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #2 Comments

I have been checking height of snow often to keep away from thinner snowpacks. Seams like those areas would be a more common spot to pull one of these avalanches.

Pic 1 Wet activity on a west aspect.

Pic 2. Older wet activity on a west aspect down low.

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