UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!

Observation: Days Fork

Observation Date
5/1/2018
Observer Name
P Diegel
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Days Fork
Location Name or Route
Chicken Sh*t Ridge
Weather
Sky
Clear
Weather Comments
Cold overnight, rapid warming with clear skies, clouds building to the West
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
5"
Snow Surface Conditions
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Shady N facing snow was still cold at noon, anything with sun exposure was quite damp. Firm, not quite frozen, dust covered old snow beneath
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
Lots of loose wet slides on sun exposed slopes (NE to at least SE). I left before noon maybe enough cloud cover building to somewhat protect W facing slopes? Also of note: I found a pair of gloves on the skin track, apparently dropped by the only other person going up Days Fk from the bottom early this morning. Contact [email protected] to claim
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #1 Comments
Slope cuts on steeper (33 plus deg slopes) were consistently releasing loose wet avalanches running long distances, one over 700 ft vertical, relatively fast for wet snow (very little adhesion to the old snow surface). Cold slopes were staying intact and provided good riding conditions but may be gone by the end of the day. The wet slides were entraining enough snow and moving fast and far enough to be a threat, large enough to knock down and carry a rider and fill up a terrain trap.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate