Observation: Toms Hill

Observation Date
11/9/2022
Observer Name
Manship, Champion, Collette
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mill D North » Toms Hill
Location Name or Route
Mill D North
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Precipitation slowed to light flurries around 0900 with the cloud ceiling above the Wasatch Peaks and light winds gusting to moderate at upper elevations. Snow picked up again around 1300 with some wet heavy flakes and graupel. Temps were in the mid to low the 20s at mid-elevations.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
4'
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
New snow was quality powder, a touch on the heavy side with wetter snow a couple of feet down. It seemed to fall overall right side up, temperatures dropped throughout the storm.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
With a couple of feet of new snow available for transport, and sustained moderate winds overnight. It would not be a surprise to find reactive wind-drifted snow at upper elevations, especially on N-E-facing slopes.
Scoured slopes
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
There is a lot of new snow in the hills, while I think that it should settle out rather quickly. It still may be possible to find some sensitive areas of new snow, in the areas protected from the wind. Especially in terrain features that could allow for some graupel pooling, such as below cliff bands.
Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
8,900'
Slope Angle
25°
Comments
In our snow profile, we found a pretty good snow depth of 120cm. In summary, the pack was pretty right-side up except the very base. However, this seemed to be very wet and should harden with some cooler temps. We noted a lot of graupel of the recent snow, especially from when the storm moved at 60-70cm depth and around 90cm. Many of the snowpack is either precip particles or decomposing particles moving to rounds.
The rating of this pit is 9.

Many layers of graupel throughout, the most prominent being at 60-70cm.
Mid Big Cottonwood Canyon Snowpit - ECTX
We found good riding conditions where we skied. We noted that south facing and west facing slopes where pretty wind scoured and the pack remains pretty shallow. With a fairly high rain line, low elevation likely has less of a pack as well.
We noted some cornices forming on ridge lines.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates