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Observation: Brighton Perimeter

Observation Date
2/24/2017
Observer Name
B
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Brighton Perimeter
Location Name or Route
Mid Elevation BCC and Brighton Periphery
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Moderate Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Light to moderate snowfall intermittent throughout the day until mid afternoon. Transport moderate in the upper elevation terrain. WNW winds were light most of the day with intermittent periods of low end moderate. Difficult visibility as well with thick cloud cover. 2 to 4 inches of snow during the day depending upon location with Brighton receiving the most. Temperatures appeared to remain in the single digits at upper elevation.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
5"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

Mid elevation terrain did not see any significant winds in the past 24 hours and the riding conditions were much better than those in the Brighton periphery at higher elevations. The new snow from overnight at mid elevations provided good turning conditions even on low angle terrain. Winds appeared to have thickened up the upper 1 to 3 inches in the open exposed terrain at upper elevations. Turning was slow and thick. Trail breaking was very difficult and trenching was the rule. Up to 42 inches of settled snow from the latest event in the Brighton periphery.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Red Flags Comments
No naturals observed, yet with the poor visibility it was difficult to see all the upper elevation steep terrain. Fluting and sluffing was evident in the steep easterly facing terrain off of Patsy Marley in the Wolverine Cirque. The new snow and this fluting looked like the steep lines seen more in the Alaskan Range. Minimal cracking was observed in the wind effected and thickened terrain on the steep rollovers in the Brighton Back Bowls. There still was a definite identifiable weak layer in the new snow 18 inches down.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

Transport was observed moving snow in the Back Bowls, and it was difficult to see the loading patterns and activity on the highest ridgelines. Yet, it was very likely that wind slab development was occurring. With all the new snow available for transport this was a good possibility, and the forecast for ideal wind speeds at the upper elevations validates this.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Cornice
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments

As pictured by White from the Monitors, large sized cornices continue to be a concern. And with additional loading from the light to moderate winds over the next 24 hours they will continue to grow.

The danger on Friday appeared to be Moderate and unless the winds accelerate beyond forecast Saturday will be Moderate as well for fresh and lingering Wind Slabs and Cornices.

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