March 12
Started at the end of the Pinecrest road and ascended taking the Ellsworth gully to the ridge continuing to the top of Lookout, west peak. Descended the main gully a thousand or so. Ascended back to the top descending the gully to the west into City Creek. Ascended to near the top, descending the southwest facing continuing out to Pinecrest.
Weather:
Snow heavy at times for a couple of hours in the am. The winds were from the west, gusting into the 20mph range. Winds and snowfall decreased in the afternoon. Moderate temperatures.
Snow:
6-8” inches fresh snow fell in a short period, 2-3” an hour. This, of course, created instabilities from rapid loading. Slides were from 2-8” deep running within new snow layering except on steeper east facing which had old surface crust. Those ran at the crust or stepped down to it as the slide progressed. These were both sluffs and slides with distinct crowns. All areas except the lower elevation sheltered had a crust under the new snow.
Bottom Line:
Limited terrain covered because of visibility problems. Hazard in the area was the result of the rapid load produced from the little storm. I’d expect most of this to settle but slides initiated in the area will probably run on crusts, packing a punch and running fast.
March 13
Location:
Started at the Alta guard station ascending Toledo Bowl. Descended Holy Toledo continuing over Powerline ridge. Ascended Cardiac Ridge
to the summit descending to the flats. Ascended the sub ridge east facing to Cardiac bowl, continuing up onto the ridge via the third or skier’s far right chute, to the summit. Descent was both chutes from the top, continuing down the second pitch traversing and descending the low angled boulders to the flats.
Ascended the east facing to the High Ivory ridge continuing to the top. Descended the northeast facing to the upper flat. Ascended the same route traversing north and descending Georges bowl continuing out Cardiff.
Weather:
Overcast with thickening and lowering clouds. Spits and sputters of snow. A bit of northwest wind at times, especially along the ridges. Moderate temperatures.
Snow:
There was 12-16 inches of settled new snow, with lesser amounts at lower elevations. Winds had done some damage, especially up high, with shallow soft slabs triggered on Cardiac ridge, without a punch and not running far. Ski cutting in the skier’s left chute of Cardiac bowl produced a new shallow soft slab, the width of the chute, well down off the ridge at the choke. This slide was about eight inches deep, running several hundred vertical. Exact size was unknown as visibility was very poor. A second hand report of a slide at the base of Ivory was received with a couple of pictures. That slide was reported as a foot and a half deep running on the old surface crust. Minimal sun did have an effect at lower elevations as did a little green housing.
Bottom Line:
Snow is, for the most part, stable but, as indicated from the two avalanches, there are areas of continued instability both at upper and mid elevations, with the second hand report indicating new snow remains sensitive on the buried crusts, on off aspects, east facing, which received some wind drifting.