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Observation: Twin Lakes Pass

Observation Date
2/16/2022
Observer Name
Stauss/ Gulckman
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Grizzly Gulch » Twin Lakes Pass
Location Name or Route
Twin Lakes Pass, Patsy
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Saw a fair amount of transport occurring on the Patsy ridge with a wind from the WNW. We experienced cracking in shallow soft slabs that had formed throughout the day.
Comments
Quick after work walk to see how the "storm" was coming in. I was surprised as I stepped out of the car to see more new snow than expected, close to six inches of low density in the Grizzly lot. We traveled up the gulch to Twin Lakes Pass where we skied down the east side toward Brighton. Dry loose snow was easily sluffing on the wind board, skier compacted base. I observed one small sluff we triggered and what appeared to be a couple more natural point release fans in steeper terrain up the ridge.
On our second lap on the ridge it seemed the predominantly WNW wind had picked up and was consistent in the moderate category. We saw obvious transport onto the leeward aspects. This had started to slab up, and in a couple spots was sensitive and cracking. I probed for HST in a protected spot in the north Patsy trees and found about 18 cm of new snow.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates