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Observation: Wolverine

Observation Date
12/12/2024
Observer Name
Gagne
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Wolverine
Location Name or Route
Upper LCC - Wolverine
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
South
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Gusty southerly winds, but almost no transport noted as the south-facing slopes have almost no snow to transport.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
A few pockets of shallow wind drifts 2-4 cm (~1.5") thick but not widespread. Snowpack depths are 30-60 cms (1-2'), although many slopes only have about 45 cms (18").
Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Very weak snow throughout the snowpack on Northwest through Northeast aspects. Somewhat supportable, but the snowpack is so weak you often just sink down into the weak snow, sometimes to the ground. West and East aspects have some thin crusts with weak snow above and below the crusts.
Snow Profile
Elevation
10,400'
Comments
I don't think the snowfall and wind overnight Thursday into Friday will be enough to affect the PWL on the northerly aspects. But, if we get upwards of 0.25" of water weight, the few inches of dense snow may be enough to trigger some avalanches on slopes > 30° on northerly aspects.
The Saturday evening and Sunday storm has the potential for 0.5" - 1" of water, and this will certainly be enough to create avalanches on the northerly aspects.
Photos:
- Sluffing in the weak, faceted snow at the surface on a steep test slope
- A contrast of northerly aspects where the PWL lives and southerly aspects which currently hold almost no snow. When it does snow again, northerly aspects will be dangerous given how weak the snowpack is on those aspects. Southerly aspects have no weak snow, and the biggest concern on these aspects will be rocks, bushes, stumps, etc.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates