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Observation: Twin Lakes Pass

Observation Date
1/16/2019
Observer Name
Harrison Brickman
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Grizzly Gulch » Twin Lakes Pass
Location Name or Route
Twin lakes
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Cracking
Poor Snowpack Structure
Comments
Kind of tricky day, HN was 15 at the Alta summer road with winds light and snowing s1,sky-obscured, by the time I reached Twin Lakes pass, HN was close to 30 and winds were moderate and blowing snow was observed; perhaps due to area having more oragraphic favor with SW flow weather.
Several natural size 1 loose dry’s were seen,also it was easy to produce shooting cracks by jumping on ridge (see photo below).
Hasty pit on the immediate west side of Twin Lakes Pass. Sudden, very easy results, in the new snow down 28 (all F). Moderate, resistant results on layer of NSF down 50 (change from 4F to 1F) .
My concerns center on the additional load coming tomorrow. If we see a widespread cohesive storm slab; I could easily imagine a widespread natural Avalanche cycle, with lower TL and BTL terrain where the HS is under a meter producing relatively large Avalanches. Also the protential for Avalanches stepping down to the October basal facets in higher HS terrain, this would be far more isolated.
Either way, loose dry and WSL will be AVY problems tomorrow.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable