Observation Date
4/7/2018
Observer Name
Evelyn
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon
Location Name or Route
Little Cottonwood Canyon
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Moderate Rain
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Just had to drive up and see the rain myself...and yes, it was raining. So once I was there, also had to see how wet the snow was...very wet. Around 2 to 4pm.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Not damp, but wet. No new snow at this elevation today, just rain. The newer surface white snow from earlier this week was saturated/slushy on all aspects at about 8800', about 2 to 5" deep. And the snow was wet for another several inches below that.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
The surface wet snow sluffs easily, and it is so wet and warm that I don't think it will completely cool by tomorrow morning even if temperatures drop. I would still expect wet loose sluffs to be easy to trigger on all aspects at the mid and upper elevations tomorrow. Once the snow starts moving, it will entrain more of the wet snow as it moves downhill.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
It's still a very layered snow pack, even where it's basically isothermal. Wet slab avalanches are possible on several layers. They could be triggered by a smaller wet loose sluff, or a shallower wet slab. Step downs are a possibility, where a smaller slide triggers a deeper slab avalanche.
I don't think the snow will cool as fast as it did after the March 22nd storm - the snow seems too warm and too wet. Best to stay off steep slopes of all aspects tomorrow and give the snow more time to drain and cool. And avoid travel below confined gullies, where slides can run down below the snow line.
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northwest
Elevation
8,800'
Slope Angle
35°
Comments
ECT - no failure, but I'm slightly suspicious that my cut wasn't complete in one spot down near the dit layer. When I pried the block out, there was a nice, clean failure just above the February dirt layer. There were also clean failures in the same place as I was cutting out other blocks along the sides. The wet surface snow was the weakest in the pack.
Above - rain quickly puddling on my pack
Snow snail - wet surface snow easily racing down hill, picking up the top 4 to 8 inche
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
