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Observation: Little Cottonwood Canyon

Observation Date
4/9/2017
Observer Name
John Mletschnig
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon
Location Name or Route
Albion Basin, Emma Ridges, Silver and Days Forks
Weather
Sky
Broken
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Sky was obscured in the morning, snowing up to S2, breezy and cold. By afternoon temps warmed signifacantly as the storm moderated with patches of blue by 2pm.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
18"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Cracking
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
Most of these flags, aside from the warming, were mostly present in the morning only.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments

In the morning drifted snow in Albion Basin was fairly sensitive in the top 20cm but by early afternoon the hazard seemed to drop rapidly as the winds moderated, precip. tapered and temps rose. In Upper Days a small pocket released at some point at the common top out to the up-track skiers left of Two Dogs (possible skinner trigger) and a small pocket appeared to have released on someone skiing in the center of Main Days but many skiers skied into steep hazard profile terrain in Days and Silver Fork without incident- perhaps by the time many folks got out the hazard waned. Our travel on leeward terrain (after 2pm) in NE facing West Bowl, in Jaws N facing (soft entrance right) and gaining East Pass of Silver Fork from East Bowl produced no signs of instability.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments

During the afternoon the south half took just enough heat to moisten the snow and make for some fairly dense and variable conditions. A few small skier triggered wet loose slides were observed off Flagstaff ridge and in south facing Upper Days. Expect a melt freeze crust in the morning.

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