Loose Wet
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 2
The snowpack is generally stable this morning and natural and human-triggered avalanches are unlikely. This is about to change.
WET AVALANCHES: With clear skies and forecast scalding temperatures, however, wet avalanches will be increasingly possible today on all aspects and elevations but for high north. For wet loose avalanches, the mystery is no mystery: if you see point release sluffs, pinwheels and rollerballs, and you're sinking and gouging into the snow, it's time to head to the car. Isolated wet slab avalanches may also be possible in areas that have had a poor refreeze over the last several days. This may be more prevalent along the periphery of the Cottonwoods, such as the Park City ridgeline or the Wasatch Back.
GLIDE AVALANCHES: Full depth glide releases can again be expected in the usual terrain of Stairs Gulch, Broads Fork and Mill B South of BCC and upper Porter Fork in MCC. These full depth and catastrophic natural releases are difficult to forecast, more difficult to survive, but easy to avoid. Take care to avoid these drainages and/or runout zones over the next couple of days. Fatal glide avalanche accident in Stairs Gulch April 2001 with a non-fatal accident close call in Broads Fork perhaps 12 years ago.
CORNICES: These monsters will continue to calve off naturally, sometimes triggering avalanches below. Avoid being on or below these huge cornices. (BONUS TRACK page 4 - good story of a close call with a cornice on Baldy in upper LCC in the 1960s).
ROOF AVALANCHES remain a significant objective hazard with skyrocketing temps. A roof fatality occurred as recently as April 2023 in the Brighton township.