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Observation: Scotties Bowl

Observation Date
1/2/2019
Observer Name
John Mletschnig
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Scotties Bowl
Location Name or Route
Scotties Bowl
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Wind erosion lead to a largely mottled snow surface in upper Scotties though it still skied well. HS at 9500, N 140-170cm.
SW aspect into White Pine was moist and snowballing off the rocks and will certainly be crusted in the AM.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Cracking
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
Cracking was observed in small pockets of loaded surface snow: N 9500'.Snow on SW at 9800' in west Scotties was moist and snowballing off the rocks at 1430.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Based on cracking observations in shallow pockets of the surface snow I think I can say with some confidence that in areas with greater amounts of loading, likely at high elevations, that slopes could potentially reactive with the weight of a skier. Id be most suspect of slopes on the W 1/2.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
Solar slopes got cooked far more than I anticipated today and I believe on slopes steeper than 35 deg it was possible to get snow moving if one pushed snow down. The warm surface snow was easily balling onto the colder subsurface snow.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate