Observation: 10420

Observation Date
2/14/2019
Observer Name
evelyn
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » 10420
Location Name or Route
10,420 west ridge and BCC
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Wind Direction
South
Wind Speed
Strong
Weather Comments
Winds gusts along the west 10,420 ridge line strong enough to knock you off balance - nearby top of Great Western was averaging 30 - 35 mph with gusts 45 to 55 mph. Felt like it. Generally mild temperatures, and warm out of the wind.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
12"
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
About another foot of snow in the past 24 hours. Very good turning on low and mid angle wind sheltered slopes on dense, surfy snow. 1 finger wind slabs along ridge line.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Cracking
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
Some red flags very elevation dependent. Rapid warming lower elevations, wind loading and cracking upper elevations.
Comments
Upper elevation - strong winds and continuous transport - loading along and off ridge lines and growing cornices. Avalanche noticed from a distance across Hidden Canyon - 9,600', NE facing. Natural or skier triggered? Out of the wind affected terrain, there seemed to be a new snow density inversion about 6" down.
Photo 1 - small skier triggered wind slab on test slope. Continuous loading.
Photo 2 - roof-a-lanche at 8,850'. This is one of the smaller ones observed, looks to be recent snow since about Feb 2 only. Many roofs had much deeper snow, large cornices and ice, and roofs seemed to be sliding at about all elevations in the canyon, with many still waiting to slide.
Mid to lower elevations - numerous wet loose and shallow new snow slides
Photo 1 - example of natural wet loose sluff off a steep road bank. There was a (wet/damp) new snow soft slab avalanche cycle overnight, maybe 6 to 10" deep, in addition to wet sluffs. Below about 7,200' on the steep road banks. There seemed to be additional new wet sluffs on the drive down. Expect more wet snow avalanches overnight with more heavy wet snow and rain in the forecast overnight.
Photo 2 - Pit at 7,200'. Tremendous amount of new snow - about 3 feet - of settled snow above the Feb 2 ice crust. A couple easy shears in the newest snow, on lower density storm snow. Probably one is the weak layer of the overnight natural slabs at the lower elevations. Down by the ice crust, various compressions tests broke both above and below the crust. CT22, Q3 below. CT 23, Q2 above.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
High
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High