Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Heavy Snowfall, Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Some locallized collapsing. Cracking in the deep new snow. Numerous small natural soft slab avalanches involving today's snow, and activity continuing while I was up in the canyon during the afternoon. Poor snow structure, with early January facets nicely preserved by 1-8 rime crust capped by mid january nsf and in some areas, surface hoar. </p>
Today's snow fell under pretty calm conditions in mid Providence Canyon and the light snow piled up deeply on the trees. Shortly after I took these pictures, however, the west winds picked up and I was bombarded by large, thankfully soft, tree bombs...
Here are pictures of a few of the dozens of natural storm snow avalanches I saw this afternoon in the Quarry Area and around the Green Gate at the canyon confluence. Pretty much every slope facing all directions and approaching or steeper than about 35 degrees had evidence of soft slab activity or cracking within the fresh snow. These small avalanches weren't much of a threat since the fresh snow was so soft and light, but I chose not to travel under any of the larger avalanche paths in the area. I triggered a couple similar manageable soft slabs and extensive cracking in the deep new snow as I came down through the trees in the early evening. As I rode the sled out past the quarry I watched several natural wind slabs, triggered by the increase in winds, release and cascade off the cliffs on either side of the steep walled canyon.....
I stayed in low angled trees at mid elevations and I did not get up high or into anything that was drifted, but I imagine that dangerous avalanche conditions exist where the copious fresh snow was drifted onto slopes with weak layers like many that I observed in the Logan Area last week.....
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Widespread natural avalanches involving new snow, also easily triggered and manageable soft slabs on fairly low angled slopes (barely approaching 35 degrees). Light density slabs running on many slopes, but breaking apart and mostly disintegrating before piling up.</p> <p>Still concerned about persistent week layers within a meter or two feet from the snow surface. Many areas with weak and intact near surface facets, some with buried surface hoar, and a widepread rime-crust with weak faceted snow both above and below it.. No evidence of this type of activity today, but poor visibility and respect for conditions kept me from seeing much suspect terrain...</p>
Lots of light new snow today in the Providence Canyon Area. Ranged from about a foot down low to closer to 2 feet at around 8000' in the aspen/fir forest north of the Dog Leg. Very good, fairly deep blower powder conditions.