Observation: Guardsman Pass area

Observation Date

12/9/2025

Observer Name

ZSmith

Region

Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Guardsman Pass area

Location Name or Route

Guardsman Pass Area

Red Flags

Recent Avalanches

Poor Snowpack Structure

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Persistent Weak Layer

Trend

Same

Problem #1 Comments

Dug a couple of pits today and both continued to reinforce the instability present with the persistent weak layer. The first pit was a hand pit at 9100’ on a NW facing road cut about 30cm deep. All layers were fist hardness with about a 3-4 cm layer of somewhat damp facets. I isolated a block and scooped out about 30cm of the faceted layer at which point the entire block released. Did an ECT and PST at the second pit: NW facing at about 9400’. Results were ECTX as the column was fist hardness throughout and the shovel taps just compressed it. Faceted layer was also about 3-4 cm and not damp. PST resulted in PST 30/100 SF which is not surprising given the softness of the slab.

Comments

Toured up around Guardsman’s Pass / Scott’s Backdoor / PInecone Ridge today. Started around 12pm and skies were generally cloudy and winds were light but gusting increased at the ridgelines to about 20mph, enough to transport snow by the end of the tour around 4pm. Snow was variable and sub-optimal fun. Though consolidated, it still had an upside down feel to it and the damp surface just sapped downhill momentum. Seemed like there might have been some greenhousing. Exiting on the road was an exercise in patience as the snow was grabby and tacky.

Today's Observed Danger Rating

Moderate

Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating

Moderate

Coordinates

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