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Observation: Back Bowls

Observation Date
3/12/2018
Observer Name
Scott Stack
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Brighton Perimeter » Back Bowls
Location Name or Route
Mt Millicent/1000 Turns Gully
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Sunny most of the day with broken clouds moving in by evening. Cool temps due to breeze.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Dense snow on N aspects, melt freeze on E, S, W aspects. Damp with loose wet activity on S aspect. W aspects were also becoming damp towards end of day and refreezing once the sun went down.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
With the few handpits we dug it was easy to find the 2/18 dust layer and facets 6 to 8” beneath. It was evident that water was draining through the snowpack on S aspects with a lot of activity going on off the backside of fantasy ridge and highway to heaven area. We also noticed wet activity on W aspects.
Comments
Was pleasantly surprised by how good the snow conditions for skiing actually were with the weather conditions. Northerly aspects were good skiing and no signs of instability on steeper terrain. West aspects were warmed by the end of the day with little wet loose sloughing, and I suspect they will be crusted in the morning as they were hardening as the sun went down.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate