Observation Date
2/12/2017
Observer Name
CDS
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon
Location Name or Route
NPC
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
East
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Clear calm and hot
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
10"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Right side up snow sitting on a variety of crusts. Q1 surface conditions.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Red Flags Comments
Lots of loose dry and loose wet out there today. Impressive point release avalanches on solars in the PM.
Avalanche Problem #1
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
#1 problem in Alta today? HUMANS. As usual. Combination of the weekend, clear weather, recent snow, and moderate danger brought out the hordes today. I observed a lot of shockingly poor behavior. I stopped one group from walking out to the edge of one of the freight car sized cornices on the Silver Fork Headwall. Witnessed not one, but SEVERAL instances of a party above setting off avalanches onto a party below. Engaged in a heated discussion with somebody who was actively trying to kick down a massive cornice while people skied directly underneath. And the skin tracks, my god the skin tracks. One lazy (or maybe motivated, but definitely retarded) group put in a downward traverse from East Bowl Pass to the center of East Bowl and then transitioned in the center of the ski run, all while people skied in from above. Several tracks ascended the bottom of the deep ravines at the base of the Emma ridges. When the hell did it become OK to ignore basic avalanche safety protocol?
Comments
THE FREEDOM OF THE HILLS IS OVER. It would be nice if, as a community, we came up with some basic rules for traveling in the backcountry. I cannot stand by silently while the actions of other parties put my group in danger. Since it is obviously everybody for themselves out there, I am going to start arming myself with a paintball gun and some hand charges when I head into the backcountry.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
