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Observation: Cottonwood Ridgeline

Observation Date
12/1/2018
Observer Name
Hardesty, Wilson, Wewer, McLeod
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Cottonwood Ridgeline
Location Name or Route
Grizzly Gulch-Patsy Marley-Davenport-West Bowl Silver Fork
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Weather was all over the map. Initially partly cloudy with plenty of sun...trending toward mostly cloudy and then overcast with light snow falling with our late afternoon exit. Some southerlies will have a crust though some SE and E likely spared. A skiff above the mf crust - RR or perhaps some new snow. No wind. Cold.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Skier's left of upper Patsy had some wind whales but not found elsewhere. Good, right-side-up skiing.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Plenty of cracking and collapsing and cornice drop avalanche into north facing West Bowl of Silver Fork (occurrence here - https://utahavalanchecenter.org/avalanche/40675)
Comments
Noted both shallow size 1 new snow naturals and recent naturals into old snow along Cardiac Ridge. New snow avalanches should settle out. Old snow not so much.
Few secrets on mid and upper elevation shady aspects. Pulled out the shovel for south facing at 10k below Honeycomb in upper Michigan City. Found structure, but no alarming results. Photo below. Well bonding storm snow above the Thanksgiving storm crust with some .5mm 4F facets beneath the crust. ECTX x 3.
Good to get out with Doug Wewer. He takes amazing photos of snow crystals and grains. Check out http://desertsnowphotography.com/
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable