Observation Date
11/28/2019
Observer Name
Catino
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Brighton Perimeter
Location Name or Route
Brighton Periphery
Comments
Dug down for a quick pit on NW Slope just off the closed Great Western area and into Hidden Canyon at Brighton.
Elevation was 10K and slope angle was 33 degrees.
The strong SSE winds loaded this area big time, as noted from yesterday's travel in the same area. Today was much more pleasant with the winds diminished during the early afternoon. Today's new snow of around 10 inches was denser than yesterday's so figured a pit was worthwhile. We alost noted some big collapes before and after digging in this area.
HS in this loaded start zone was 125cm. The storm snow goes from Fist to 4F and then stiffens up a bit to almost 1F hardness, before reaching the crust and the large grain facets at the ground.
Received a bit of settlement during my CT test on the third tap. Then on the 6th the whole column broke.
Results were CT 6 Q1. Breaking 35cm from the ground. Classic strong snow - which has developed more into a slab from yesterday - over weak snow.
Given it broke so well, I isolated two more columns for my partner to video as I did a CT Test, to no avail. Each subsequent column broke out upon isolation.
The continued snowfall and wind makes me believe the natural cycle will be rearing up tonight and tomorrow on wind loaded slopes with pre-exisiting snow.
Photos below - awsome CT/isolation results, and a quick pit descrtiption.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High