Wasatch Backcountry???

[teleee]

Anybody been out yet?
I am thinking if things settle out this week, I will probably be hitting it, maybe tomorrow?
Probably some low angle, low exposure stuff just to get out and get familiar with what is happening out there right now, any thoughts or experiences?

[Mountain Junkie]

I was pretty amazed at some of the lines being put in both the canyons. I saw some pretty exposed lines (and some solitary to boot) Friday in BCC (> 12" that night). Lots of people putting tracks on Superior on Sunday. More surprising were tracks coming down Cristo (I think) and Y-Coulior. Granted, I'm pretty conservative in the bc, nor did I dig any pits, so maybe the snow was stable. But still, something like the Y seems to be a zero margin game. Are people normally this aggressive in the Canyons and more importantly, are they competent?

[Ireallyliketoski2]

Originally posted by Mountain Junkie
I was pretty amazed at some of the lines being put in both the canyons. I saw some pretty exposed lines (and some solitary to boot) Friday in BCC (> 12" that night). Lots of people putting tracks on Superior on Sunday. More surprising were tracks coming down Cristo (I think) and Y-Coulior. Granted, I'm pretty conservative in the bc, nor did I dig any pits, so maybe the snow was stable. But still, something like the Y seems to be a zero margin game. Are people normally this aggressive in the Canyons and more importantly, are they competent?

The Utes are sick brah!!

[teleee]

MJ,
I have been skiing the Wasatch backcountry for about 10 years now and I am continually amazed by the lines people will put up after a huge storm. I saw the same lines and I am guessing the backcountry is more stable then I have been assuming. But I certainly am not going to go up and put a line down Superior or the Y this soon after a storm. I may be a coward and ultra conservative, but I am alive.

[Telephil]

The avy report yesterday was really, really good if you wanted to get some steep lines, today not quite as good.

[LCC]

Originally posted by Mountain Junkie
More surprising were tracks coming down Cristo (I think) and Y-Coulior.

I saw the boot tracks going up the Y on my way up to Alta on Sunday and thought the samething to myself. I was pretty shocked to see the big ones getting tracks all the way up the canyon. I left my backcountry gear at home, so didn't get far enough out to dig a pit. Wish I would have though, before this cold snap hit, would have been good information for upcoming trips.

Alta was bombing and getting slides on North East facing slopes, enough to keep me inbounds for now.

[Twoplanker]

Avalanche advisory
mONDAY, January 5, 2004 7:30 am


Good morning, this is Drew Hardesty with the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center with your backcountry avalanche and mountain weather advisory. Today is Monday, January 5, and it’s 7:30 a.m.

Current Conditions:

Overnight, the mountains picked up another 4-6” of light density snow and as of 6am, it’s still snowing. Perhaps more importantly, the winds have climbed steadily since the evening, averaging 20-30mph from the west, with gusts near 50. Temperatures remain cold and are still in the single digits. Snow surface conditions will range today from soft powder in protected areas to new wind drifts off the ridgelines and other lee terrain.



Avalanche Conditions:

Yesterday the avalanche activity was relegated to minor sluffing and shallow soft slabs less than 6” deep, but today will be a different matter. What was a foot and a half of 4% density along with this morning’s additional snowfall is easily being blown around and will make for sensitive new wind slabs on steep terrain. Reports from personnel in the canyons this morning indicate that drifting is even reaching down into the drainages and in other unlikely areas. And so it’s not surprising that earlier this morning, a backcountry party in upper Little Cottonwood was reporting that the new 6-18”drifts are quite sensitive and can be triggered from a distance.



Bottom Line for the Wasatch Range, including the Salt Lake, Park City, Ogden and Provo Mountains:

The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on slopes approaching 35 degrees with recent deposits of wind drifted snow. Human triggered avalanches will be probable. In sheltered terrain, the danger is MODERATE.

[powstash]

Headed out tomorrow morning for a early dawn patrol in LCC. Will update after the tour.

I heard it was pretty slabby out there today. Lots of wind pockets and lots of snow snakes.