Observation Date
2/14/2025
Observer Name
B
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon
Location Name or Route
Mid Big Cottonwood Canyon
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Precipitation
Moderate Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Intermittent Cloud Cover all day with sporadic periods of S2 intermixed with mostly clear skies and solid/intense sun. Mid 20's am with mid 30's late morning into mid afternoon at 8000'. Moderate to Intense Wind Blown even on mid elevation ridgelines.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
7"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
East through South took on heat today and will have a crust. Excellent powder riding on non-solar exposed slopes. "Cakey"/dense settled powder on S and SW exposures. Wind sheltered terrain very good.
5cm of new snow during the day.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Cornices Touchy and calving with minimal effort on slopes with no runout issues, and they were releasing on buried NSF's. Hand shears affirming same weaknesses both at the new snow/old snow interface as well as another weak layer 45cm down.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
P Slab structure continues to be easy to identify with at least 2 buried layers of NSF's.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
Cracking observed with no movement on 30 to 33 degree slopes. Cornices were Touchy as described above.
Moderate Danger in areas traveled, but Likely Considerable in more exposed and loaded Upper Elevation terrain as well as in areas that received more snow than 20cm.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates
