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Observation: Superior

Observation Date
3/12/2018
Observer Name
Luke and Tony
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Superior
Location Name or Route
Superior area/ Monte Cristo
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
More cloud cover over the Cottonwood ridgeline than we expected, mostly cleared around 12:30 to 1. Heated up very quickly after that.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
North facing was still dense but good, any aspect with sun was quite crusty and hard until it received sun, which softened it up quite quickly.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
No really noticeable rollerballs that I saw in the afternoon, quite a bit of avalanche debris from E to W aspects, mostly directly below rocks and trees (the obvious trigger points). With the low snowpack it's much more likely to ride over a rock or bush and trigger a warm dense slide. Probably the same with the N side stuff on persistent/deep slabs.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Warm, warm, warm today in the afternoon, the only factor helping anything today was the cloud cover. If there's no cloud cover tomorrow anytime afternoon will be suspect for any aspect receiving sun.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Gliding Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Glide problems are difficult but there was obvious running water at the bottom of the Monte Cristo gully... I would suspect anything slick (i.e. quartzite slabs) may start to have running water underneath them soon. If this next storm cools things off a little all the better but it's been rather warm and will probably be for the rest of the spring.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate