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Observation: Flagstaff Ridge

Observation Date
12/8/2022
Observer Name
Beej
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Flagstaff Ridge
Location Name or Route
Flagstaff Shoulder
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
The south/southswest facing side of the shoulder had 6-10" of wind eroded snow. Tons of rocks, some wind crust in spots. The south east side had some decent amounts of powder that still felt deepish, but PWL was gnarly everywhere. Pole pokes broke through a crust and found a lot of faceted snow underneath.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
The skinner on the way up was brutal, the 4-6" of new snow was not bonding well to the older surface. Possible surface hoar but the variable snow made it super hard to side cut and edge in. Just kept mushing down hill on kick turns and the sides of the skinners kept mashing down. Going down was a lot better.
Comments
New snow isn't bonding well to the snow from Sunday. Winds from NW are pushing snow onto crusts and old snow and sloughing naturally on steeps. Not as windy after this storm so not as bad. The persistent weak layer is very much a thing. The likeliness of some of these hills getting overloaded this next storm seems high. As the OG says, "junk in the trunk" everywhere.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates