UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!

Observation: 10420

Observation Date
1/8/2025
Observer Name
ZSmith
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » 10420
Location Name or Route
10420
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
10420 has wind slabs on all aspects save the solars. They are large and, as discovered today, still very much potentially reactive.
Comments
Skinned up the west side of 10420 on a beautiful day. Virtually no wind from the trailhead until just below the summit where the wind was pretty steady around 15mph and moving snow. No signs of instability on the way up - even off the skin track. Transitioned and headed down the north ridge. About halfway down I initiated a hard turn on a wind slab and cracks shot out across and back up the slab. Estimated they ran for about 20-30 feet. Cracks were about a foot deep. The slope was 24ish degrees so nothing slid but had I been in Northeast Bowl in 35-40 degree territory this could well have been a very different story. Photos don't do a great job of conveying the breadth of propagation but sharing for reference.
Second run was down through the trees. Still a little deadfall bony in spots but overall skied well and playful with about 6-12 inches of powder.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates