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Observation: Alexander Basin

Observation Date
2/20/2018
Observer Name
Hardesty, Rich, Conover
Region
Salt Lake » Mill Creek Canyon » Alexander Basin
Location Name or Route
Bowman to Toots and out Alexander Basin
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Weather Comments
Cold; no wind noted.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
12"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Two very loud and propagating collapses along north Gobbler's ridgeline above Toots Suite and lower Depth Hoar bowl. Surprised to have not remoted portions of either.
Comments

Triggered a small portion of the hangfire above the Toots To Boot avalanche (pic below). Good low, guttural collapse and the snow moved a foot down slope. As noted, collapsed two more portions of the structure along the north Gobbler's ridgeline. Went to investigate the well-written observation of yesterday's near miss in Toots. Well noted that the MCC terrain has seen perhaps a couple inches of SWE (no precip buckets nearby) and the beneficiary of Sat night and Sunday strong (and dusty) pre-frontal southwest winds...either overloading areas of thin and weak structure...or repeaters (Davis Gulch on Gobblers).


On the descent on and adjacent to the Toots avalanche, noted a 50' wide stress crack at roughly 8500' NE facing. Similar structure as noted in the avalanche observation.

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