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Observation: Little Water

Observation Date
1/2/2020
Observer Name
Gagne
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mill D North » Little Water
Location Name or Route
Little Water Peak
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Increasing winds in the afternoon, with occasional strong gusts along ridges. ~1 cm dense snow/graupel during the day.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
10"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Generally 25 cms (10") storm snow in mid-BCC.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Cracking
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Avalanches seem to require some wind-drifting to give the slab some cohesiveness. We remotely triggered an avalanche on a steep, SE aspect at 9300'. This failed on a layer of weaker faceted snow underneath a thin 1-2 mm sun crust.
Remotely-triggered slides are an indication that it may take a bit of time for the problem to settle out.
Comments
The storm snow didn't seem enough to overload the weaker, pre-existing snow at the new snow/old snow interface, and that you needed a denser slab of wind-drifted snow.
We remotely-triggered an avalanche on a steep, SE aspect at 9300' (submitted as a separate observation)
Pit below shows ECTN in the low teens, failing at the new snow/old snow interface down ~20-30 cms. (ECTN means the fracture did not propagate across the slab.)
Second image is cracking in wind-blown snow along an exposed ridgeline.
Video describing the type of slopes that are currently wind-loaded, and should be avoided.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable