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Observation: Days Draw

Observation Date
3/18/2025
Observer Name
MAC
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Days Fork » Days Draw
Location Name or Route
Days Draw
Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Cracking
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Problem #1 Comments
Skied the Draw and environs this morning (and set the skinner - you're welcome!). Nothing was moving in unexpected ways: the choke on the Draw sluffed a bit (as usual), as did the lower gully on Crystal Palace (as usual). But nothing major or deep.
However, on our third lap the winds had kicked up considerably and were hammering the Draw ridgeline, in particular. We'd already been up there twice and hadn't seen any cracking or visible/audible cause for concern. This third lap, however, cracks were shooting across the entire top of the Draw. Not super deep (6-8"?), but with how hard the wind was blowing, and how hard the snow was falling, it felt like the next lap, or the next day, could be a problem. We skied the subridge between Peggy and Draw to get out (as Peggy always slides up top).
Comments
As mentioned, when we left the Draw was only starting to become a wind slab problem waiting to happen, but even as I type this a few hours later (anxious to avoid work), checking wind speed at the Reynolds snotel station, as fantastic as the skiing was this morning, with snow skiing fast and not too deep, I wouldn't touch the Draw tomorrow with the wind and snow continuing. The Draw doesn't take much wind loading from the Cardiff side (because it's cliffs on the Cardiff side), but that wind was slabbing the first 100 feet or so below the ridgeline. That's a trigger I'm not sure I'd pull.
No photos except of us skiing.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates