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Observation: Silver Spoon

Observation Date
3/24/2023
Observer Name
AK
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Silver Fork » Silver Spoon
Location Name or Route
Silver Spoon
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Cracking
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Snow was falling hard this morning when we were out between 7:30 and 11:30. Easily 6 inches on the truck bed when we got back from skiing, possibly more at higher elevations. We also noticed some instabilities as we were skinning up in the upper inches of the new snow (see comments for more details).
Comments
We noticed some instabilities as we were skinning up in the upper inches of the new snow (see comments for more details). Snow was cracking around our skis on the skintrack and some small pockets were pulling out around steep tree wells when snow fell from the branches. Relatively inconsequential in the terrain we were in, but worth noting the red flags.
The most notable was on the way back out, there was a section along the skintrack that had collapsed and was connected around 30 feet wide, maybe 3-4 inches deep.
There was a small break in the weather, but it looked like it was rolling back in and I imagine the danger will increase with more snow.
Additionally, there is a ton of snow to transport and if the winds pick up, I bet we could probably see some pretty hefty wind slabs in less sheltered terrain.
Unrelated to where we were skiing, we noticed lots of small crowns and evidence of acitivty as we were driving down SR190 from aroun 11:30 to 12:00. Looked like it was all ocurring in the uppermost layers of the snow (so far).
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High
Coordinates