UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!
Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Weather Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills On-Snow Courses Resources and Tutorials
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation: Salt Lake

Observation Date
12/31/2024
Observer Name
Collett, Manship, Jeppson
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
West Willow
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Weather Comments
Cold beautiful day.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Great powder skiing on most aspects. South aspects started to take on some heat in the afternoon and developed a thin crust.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
The biggest red flag today was the numerous recent avalanches from this past storm cycle, including a partially filled-in avalanche on the NE-facing terrain in West Williow that occurred at some point in the last storm cycle. We didn't experience any collapsing or cracking today although most of the terrain we traveled in was S facing.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Poor structure, ECTPV results, and recent avalanches failing on the PWL point to the PWL being our main concern.
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northeast
Elevation
9,600'
Slope Angle
24°
Comments
Photo 1) Stellars on surface
Photo 2) Filled in crown on NE aspect, 9550' in West willow.
Video) Joey getting an ECTPV result (Propagation on isolation)
Video
Today's Observed Danger Rating
High
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High
Coordinates
Snow Pilot URL
https://snowpilot.org/node/68749