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Observation: West Desolation Ridge

Observation Date
1/16/2019
Observer Name
Wilson, Hardesty, Geisler, Summers
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mill D North » West Desolation Ridge
Location Name or Route
West desolation
Weather
Sky
Broken
Precipitation
Moderate Snowfall
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Snowing hardest 0730 to 0930, stellars and rimed stellars. Sky from obcured to overcast to broken. Light winds picked up briefly at 1500, but we didn't see much transport in our area.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
7"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
South: dust on crust.
North off West Deso ridge: divine.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Red Flags Comments
Small storm slabs easy to trigger. More snow coming!
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Problem #1 Comments
Sensitive 4-6 inch soft slabs, sensitivity seemed to decrease throughout the day. No remoting observed, just propagation from skis.
Failure plane was within the new snow, on a layer of stellars 1" above the old surface. Don't expect this instability to last more than a day or two, unsure if it will fail under the next 1.4"-2.4" of water forecast for Thursday morning through midday Friday.
Comments
Photos:
Shallow storm slab on NW 9500', 45' wide.
Debris from 8' wide pocket triggers larger pocket below. N 9600'.
5 second video shows failure plane within the new snow.
Video
Photos:
Blue skies, soft snow
Stellars and rimed stellars
Rime on branches from southerly wind
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates