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Observation: Wolverine Cirque

Observation Date
2/16/2018
Observer Name
Sean Burkhart
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Wolverine Cirque
Location Name or Route
Wolverine Cirque
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Cold morning, 0 degrees F at the Brighton Parking lot at 6am with light SW winds all morning and a few moderate gusts. Mostly clear skies and warmed up a good bit once the sun came up over the ridge.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
15"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Observed SW winds moving snow all morning and moving it pretty rapidly. Wind slabs forming on NE, E facing slopes. New snow sloughing but not as freely and long running as yesterday.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Cracking
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Main concern out there seemed to be wind slab formation on NE to E facing slopes. Noticed an E facing 35/36 degree slope off Patsy Marley had ripped out from the day before, likely wind/storm slab 20 yards wide and guessing 15 to 18 inches deep (the bed surface filled in a good amount more from active transport. It ran a good 150 yards and could have taken a rider for a scary ride. Likely skiier triggered but no way of being sure with the winds covering up tracks rapidly. I also had a cornice break off pretty easily about 4 feet back from the lip, 3 feet deep, and caused a mellow slough running about 75 yards. Cornices growing over the E NE facing chutes in the cirque and they are reaching a size where they could drop enough mass to trigger a consequential slab. Lastly, there was some lovely surface hoar forming due to the cold and clear weather at night. Something to keep in mind with more snow on the way Sunday.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Observed active transport all morning, cornices growing and cracking off, and remnants of a wind/storm slab. I'd suspect there to be some relatively deep wind slabs on NE to E facing slopes scattered throughout the Wasatch where exposed to winds. Keep an eye out for signs of windloading before dropping steeper slopes.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
Much less likely but the issue still exists. Were seeing persistent slabs still cracking off and I would suspect it is still possible on steeper slopes sheltered from the sun. The chutes in the cirque look awfully tempting but are still extremely suspect in my book.
E facing wind slab remnants off Patsy Marley approx. 10,200'
Natural slide over a rockband approx 12 inches deep on a NE facing aspect 9500'
Cornice fall 10,000ft
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable