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Observation: Collins Gulch

Observation Date
10/18/2021
Observer Name
Hardesty
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Collins Gulch
Location Name or Route
Alta Ski Area - Collins Gulch
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Wind Direction
Southeast
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Warm and windy preceding the next storm.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Myriad crusts: sun crusts on sunny aspects, thermal crusts on (true) northerlies up to 9500' or a touch higher. Wind crusts and soft settled "powder" above that.
Average depth of 2' at 10,000', maybe 2.5' from 10-11k. Some surface facets can be found, but seem spotty and not well represented in most terrain.
Southerlies are dry with some remaining (albeit melt-freeze crusts) snow on east and west aspects at mid and upper elevations. Photo below.
Red Flags
Red Flags Comments
No red flags. Sun, warmth, cloud cover (.....continued storms and lack of long period of clear/cold.....) have all helped form a strong and stable snowpack. So far.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Problem #1 Comments
The new snow, coming in warm and lacking much wind, should bond reasonably well to the old, warm, corrugated snow surfaces
Tomorrow's (Tuesday's) avalanche danger will reflect overnight wind and how fast the snow piles up.
I wouldn't be surprised to see about a foot or more of medium density snow fairly evenly spread across the Wasatch Range by tomorrow.
Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
10,000'
Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates