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Observation: Emma Ridges

Observation Date
3/11/2018
Observer Name
Carson Reid
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Emma Ridges
Location Name or Route
Emma 1/Binx's Folly
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Warm day, with great weather. Clear with hardly any wind and about 5 degrees Celsius.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Coming down Emma 1/ Binx's folly around 2:30 the snow was very wet and heavy. However, the riding was very good.
Red Flags
Red Flags Comments
I was setting off roller balls on the way down, along with two small wet sluffs on a steeper part of the slope.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
The snow was very wet and heavy, and I set off quite a few roller balls and two small wet sluffs when I rode down at 2:30 pm. The two sluffs were snowboard width and only ran about 25 feet until they hit a less steep slope. I was on a steep, thin part of the slope which I think is why I triggered the sluffs there. They were the only ones that I saw all day.
Snow Profile
Aspect
South
Elevation
9,600'
Comments
I toured all day off Flagstaff and West bowl. The Toledo bowl skin track was very difficult to get up in the morning because it was very icy, but Upper Days and Two Dogs had very nice powder. West bowl had very wet snow when I rode it at about 1 pm, and I stuck riders left to the lower angle terrain, which was super awesome wet heavy powder. I rode Emma 1/Binx's Folly at 2:30 to head back down to the car, and they were very wet, but the slush pow was really fun. I went over onto a rather steep part (I'd guess about 40 degrees) which was a roll over thing onto a less steep slope below. There a small wet sluff let out when I rode over it, then I jumped to push the snow down that was below me, and I rode where the sluff went down into shallower terrain. The sluffs only ran 25 to 30 feet.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates