OCR Text |
Show Wasatch Canyon Reporter - Backcountry Snowpack re From Big Cottonwood by Craig Gordon _ After a three week period of clear skies, cold temperatures, and lots of recrystallized snow, the Wasatch finally got into a1 moist and vigorous Northwest flow. Ushering in the new year;,a stfé B system moved in on New Year’s eve. Wis Viids. were the big story associated ce this impulse, “es Crue, Northwest winds averaging 40Bok ANORE cee, ON oe Rane an on 2 St ORS, Rai EMO CORR eR A TNR 5 St Am Se Sh SRR a ka RR oh sR re ON th ca a eee Melaee: fora ete of time. but still enough surface snow for wind transport. Weak snow, vie s (ouine, and heavy densi- Alta Ski Lifts 801-742-3333 Number of lifts operating Base Depth Cost of an all area adult ticket 8 of 8 72” $25 ty snow throughout the storm made for some sketchy back country conditions. In upper big Cottonwood Canyon the storm laid down 15” of heavy snow and the strong winds blew trees down throughout the canyon. Northeast aspects were very sensitive to avalanche control work and there were several large natural releases in the backcountry. A lot of snow in a short period of time made the snow pack cry out “No More!” What’s surprising is that more slides didn’t run deeper. The weak layers that are buried. deeper within the snow pack are pretty well behaved. After a days break, ad quite as strong as our fi Pane A peeegy ACCS aa sp strong system rolled i oe. but the combinalli hto Eo!) fn iE Brighton's Snow Report Number $01-943-8309 Number of lifts operating Gof] Base Depth Cost ofanalldayticket Night Skiing Available 65” $29 $20 leg. Can you sae us?” I skied down to the injured party and indeed he had wa called the Brighton Ski Patrol by _ his buddies ae out first hand @ ski area fallen leg, Tib/Fib to be exact. I radio and they quickly responded. After packaging the young man up in a “Sled” what it was like to haul someone out of the backcountry. After a trying 45 minand headed to Brighton’s clinic. What caused this injury? a hidden stump, a rock snow? tags “We built this jump that was just killer, but I got too far forward, Se PERO) The heart of American skiings Park City 601-649-8111 Utah’s largest ski area, Park City offers 2.200 acres of terrain for every ability — enough for your ‘own n actions that you don’t need, to. ‘perform a rescue. Snow wise, what’s in the Tarot cards for us? Sow angle, protected slopes are ae best bets. Looks like we re gonna go back to high and dry for a while with warming temperatures which ¢ mellow out. After a day of looking at snow and doing control work, with mini, the slopes that are so stubborn to run. Well until next time, may — turns be tights ‘an your potbides deep and light. Number ofliftsOnen upiter Total Full Day/Night LiftPass Whi | “Repoits from Around1 the the Country: See $47/$14 civoc Solitude’s Phone Number 801-354-1400 eich, “esac moment of eaelcnitical clarity I could see Glory bowl, Rendezvous bowl, and the GrandPei a single cloud. Which is fine if you like skiing in good weather. If you have never been there before, Jackson Hole is gargantuan. Alta and Snowbird have many Number of lifts Operating : room skiers: No Corbets Couloir wasn’t open. Sadie below the world ie cbitoit one could see three feet of the pointed “indicator rock”, which as the patrol will inform you, must be covered with snow before they will open Corbets. Skiing Jackson Hole, always a challenge, left my legs burning, lungs sucking, and sebaceous glands secreting. Then on my second run I wound up on cat track shadowed by a seventy foot cliff. and wantec 9 go home. | Enough said. I was tired, scared, apels, temples, and ee and ventured into Christmas day: We avoided the lines. the backcountry. After an hour long post: E X hfrésh.lines of fluff ie unruly local blending into uncut surface hoar. The absofutely breathtaking views easil§ who scolded us for our flatlandish post-hole across a skin traverse. Jo. Jackson Hole if the skiing conditions froma ‘ und Ed. Sty : me= Hp issue we hope to bring you a new reps 140/14 é : I know its hard! On Jéave the greatest snow on earth, but Teton county’is Meret “a stones throw away. For anyone pondering a trip I would highly recommend iso-propy! alcohol for the car, and for the liver...well it ain’t 3.2. Tad Turgeon Scourge of Teton Pass. | 7of7 Mid Mountain Depth g4” Full Day Lift Pass $32 BEAVER MOUNTAIN - §01.753.09 BRIAN HEAD RESORT - 801.677.2035 DEER VALLEY RESORT - 801.649.1000 ELK MEADOWS - 501.438.5433 NORDIC VALLEY - 01.745.3511 POWDER MOUNTAIN - 501.745.3771 SNOWBASIN - 01.399. 1135 — SNOWBIRD - 501.742.2222 SUNDANCE RESORT- 01.225.4107 WOLF MOUNTAIN - 501.649.5400 Other terribly important phone numbers: Cottonwood Canyons Avalanche/Weather Info: 364.1581, Extended: 364.1591 Park City Avalanche/Weather Info: 649.2250 SKI UTAH Snow Report: 521.8102 UDOT Road Conditions: 964.6000 Weather: 575.7669 US Navy Exact Time: 1.900.410. TIME Page 2 ae Halear aL LL al you ski, or board cut the top of the slope...feels good oe half way down the slope and WHUMPH it slides. This instability was stil present towards the end of the week. One injury in1 the Back oo had nothing to do with é |