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Observation: Mill D North

Observation Date
12/3/2022
Observer Name
Nate L and Jennifer W
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mill D North
Location Name or Route
Mill D North
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
We dug a pit at 8400' on a SW slope (wrong date on the snowpilot image) and got a CT8 on a thin layer of near-surface facets (possibly due to radiation recrystallization as this slope receives a bit of sun during the day)/surface hoar at the new snow-old snow interface. Despite a noticeable collapse, it did not propagate in the ECT (ECTN18), either because the slab was too weak or the weak layer was not continuous enough. I suspect the former, as we had no less than 5 collapses in the few hundred feet of trail breaking we did on a nearby flat slope, including one that propagated to at least 50 feet away. This showed me that southerly slopes are touchy even at lower elevations, and a lot of places that are normally safe to ski during a PWL might not be.
Snow Profile
Aspect
Southwest
Elevation
8,400'
Comments
Cloudy skies all day with a short period of BKN (50% covered) around 4pm. No wind at all. Plenty of tracks and people up Mill D!
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates