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Observation: Broads Fork

Observation Date
3/27/2018
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Broads Fork
Location Name or Route
Broads Fork
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Cool in the AM heating up a bit in the afternoon but not getting too out of control. Light winds and clear skies most of the day.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
5"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

It was still dry powder on the high N-NE, all other aspects and lower elevations were damp on our exit at 2:00pm.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Poor Snowpack Structure
Comments

Wanted to get a look at Broads Fork after our high elevation rain event last week, I was pretty sure there was some glide action that took place but not to the extent that actually happened. The NE and E pretty much came unglued with wet slabs and glide avalanches. There was a massive glide avalanche that triggered a deep wet slab on the Diving Board taking out the whole seasons snow-pack I put that one on the avy list. There were also glide avalanches on the upper Blue Ice that triggered a slide into old snow when it came off the cliffs, another glide avalanche was noted between the Diving Board and Bonkers that also left a large debris pile. There also looked to be a wind slab avalanche under O'Sullivan. Seemed to me the only usual suspect for Glide Slides that didn't run was the one on NE facing Bonkers. There was some wet activity today in the form of point releases mostly on the SE facing rocks, and the west facing.

Photos: Diving Board avalanche, glide slides on the Blue Ice and between Bonkers and the Diving Board, wet activity from today.

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