Observation Date
12/25/2019
Observer Name
Wilson, Hardesty
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Days Fork
Location Name or Route
Days Fork
Comments
New snow instabilities noted in Days fork.
Natural activity included dry loose point releases on all aspects, though needing steeper slope angles. On the Days Fork headwall, we saw a larger debris pile and what appeared to be a small crown where a sluff likely triggered a storm slab.
As for skier-triggered activity, it was easy to kick-off long and quick-running sluffs within the new snow.
More interestingly, we also had several small soft-slab avalanches fail within the new snow, roughly 10" down. The slabs cracked out about 15 feet on either side of our skis, and failed on a layer of stellars. Below are pictures from three different locations along the Days Draw ridge.
And here is what most of the natural activity looked like:
Could still feel the temperature and wind crusts below the light new snow; skiing will likely improve with settlement.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates