Observation: Hellgate

Observation Date
11/27/2020
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Hellgate
Location Name or Route
East Hellgate
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northeast
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Warm in the sun clod in the shade, with an annoying NE wind blowing in the moderate category.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Powder on the N, the new snow became damp on S around 11:00am and might have a zipper crust in the am
Red Flags
Red Flags
Cracking
Collapsing
Comments
Not a whole lot has changed since yesterday except newly formed and reactive wind drifts form the NE winds. I stepped out on one of the drifts at the top of East Hellgate and got a good collapse complete with shooting cracks. The drifts were not widespread in the terrain covered but they are in places that we're not used to due to the wind direction. I think if the slope was steeper the wind slab would have released. Not a huge deal but if you end up pulling one of these wind slabs out in steep radical terrain, the ride would not be pretty.
photos: shooting cracks
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low