Observation Date
1/26/2017
Observer Name
Dunn
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mill Creek Canyon » Mill A » Butler Fork » Gobblers
Location Name or Route
Gobblers Knob
Weather
Sky
Broken
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
North
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Light to moderate snow through the day, but there were some significant breaks with full sunshine for up to 30 minutes at a time.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
12-18" of very low density snow on top of a more supportable layer and then low density snow beneath the layer. I suspect the supportable layer is a wind slab from the event last Sunday/Monday. The two-layer cake was less widespread than what I saw in Mineral Fork yesterday, with some areas on Gobblers having much less low-density snow below the supportable layer. Today's observation is mainly to serve as one more data point for the forecasters as we transition from the obvious high/considerable danger during the storm cycle to the less obvious and more difficult estimation of the danger as things become more stable. We saw no signs of instability on our tour from Butler Fork to Main Gobblers. No cracking, settlement, or signs of recent avalanche activity. But, we were on low to moderate angle terrain.
Just a photo to prove the sun did come out! Perhaps someone from the UAFC could rotate this image, I tried many times but could not get it to post vertically.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate