Observation Date
2/19/2022
Observer Name
Gagne
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Days Fork
Location Name or Route
Days Fork
Comments
Walked up Days Fork from the Spruces to the LCC ridgeline to get a sense of the existing snow surface ahead of - hopefully - more snow early this week. As many have already noted, there is widespread variability in the existing snow surface. A sampling of what I observed today. On some
- upper-elevation exposed slopes there is a thin layer of faceted snow on top of old, hard crusts;
- shady, sheltered slopes above 8,500 are very weak with the top 10-30 cms all facets;
- east aspects vary from some having dry/weak snow on top, some were damp with no weak snow, and some had an old, thin crust with weak facets underneath the crust;
- surface hoar up to 5mm beginning to develop;
Overall, I'm most concerned of the widespread weaknesses on mid and upper elevation slopes facing northwest through northeast where there is very weak snow at the surface and it was very easy to get shallow sluffs to move on steep slopes.
The rose in the following photo highlights in blue where I have seen enough weak snow to have a concern with future snowfall. I'm unsure of east-facing slopes at mid-elevations and don't get enough data on west-facing slopes to make a judgement.
This widespread variability may make things tricky *if* we do get snow early this week and it will require someone to continually assess the snowpack underneath any storm snow or fresh wind slabs.
East-facing slopes varied greatly - some steeper slopes are now getting enough sun to warm up and prevent any weak snow at the surface from developing, but I also found dry/weak snow on some upper-elevation east-facing slopes as well.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low