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Observation: West Desolation Ridge

Observation Date
1/26/2021
Observer Name
Hardesty, Wilson, Sisk
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mill D North » West Desolation Ridge
Location Name or Route
West Deso
Weather
Sky
Broken
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
South
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Again cat and mouse with the sun. Perhaps a trace of new during the morning hours. No wind transporting snow.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
1"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Monday's sun left a friable crust on many solars; shady aspects remain soft powder snow from Friday/Saturday storm. Perhaps 12" settled powder.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Recent avalanches from the reports of the last few days...both at the old snow interface and into the much older faceted snow layering. We noted only one shy collapse along the west end of the West Deso ridge.
Comments
Only time for a quick morning outing.
Mostly reporting a "pertinent negative".
Went to walk along the West Deso ridgeline half-expecting to experience cracking and collapsing and see if an avalanche might be triggered at a distance. There were no other tracks along the ridge.
So...no c/c...no avalanche. The pertinent negative in truth is not so pertinent insofar it provides zero indication of stability; rather that conditions are a bit more stubborn.
We continued to avoid steep west-north-east terrain and chose low angle and/or off aspects.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable