Observation: Brighton Perimeter

Observation Date
3/23/2019
Observer Name
B
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Brighton Perimeter
Location Name or Route
Brighton back bowls, figure 8, twin Lakes pass, Patsy Marley, wolverine bowl, dog lake
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Mixture of dense fog and mostly cloudy. Periodic S -1. Mostly calm winds with light on the exposed ridgelines. Temperatures rose rapidly around 11 o’clock, when the clouds thinned slightly.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
4"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Early-morning riding until 11 o’clock was very good and surfy bottomless snow. At that point east south and southwest aspects became damp. Even low angle northerly aspects did the same. Fortunately, the cloud deck thickened the rest of the afternoon, and it appeared that east survived the heat and sun above 10,000 feet. North slopes with slope angles greater than 25° remained cold .and dry. Crusts will be found on all other aspects.
HST: 12
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
Sensitive density changes with in the new snow appear to settle out by mid day. Cornus fall reported validates concern that these large overhanging Monsters should remain suspect, especially with the unseasonably warm temperatures forecast for the next number of days.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Cornice
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
See avalanche report and photos from East Bowl. Of note this was not a natural, reports from the field validate that a party of three was walking on the ridge 3 feet from where this cornice released.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Loose wet issues appear to be in check above 9000 feet today in the Alta/Brighton perimeter. Any periods of sustained solar on Sunday will help initiate a wet loose cycle.
Comments
Mostly a low hazard today in areas traveled with no significant observations of natural and/or human triggered avalanches.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate