Observation: Days Fork

Observation Date
12/19/2020
Observer Name
Nick Pearson
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Days Fork
Location Name or Route
West bowl
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Cracking
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Skin track filled up at the top and bottom and bottom of skin track on West Bowl multiple times throughout the tour. Noticable wind loading at the top with new cornices that formed during tour along Silver Fork Headwall. Increasing danger as more winds comes through and creates wind slabs.
Comments
The tour started out with a more or less cloudless and switched to partly and overcast throughout the day with the biggest change from yesterday being the amount of wind. Our skin track in West bowl from the previous day had filled up and continued to fill up in between runs at the top and bottom of skinner. Consistent 10-15 mph westerly winds with stronger gusts around 10k and visually transporting the new snow. Skied mostly low angle east facing and avoiding north facing slopes due to cracking we saw on the silverfork headwall as we skinned up (no surprises here). Seems like the only thing keeping these north facing slopes from sliding is a bit more of a trigger, a more consolidated slab and a slightly steeper slope. Also watched as a party of three skinning in Days Fork trigger a slide remotely while skinning up the ridge. South faces received sun and will likely crust up overnight. Moderate danger as long as you avoid skiing or being under steep east through north terrain.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates