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Show SNR Boe Si ONES GOR ks Re § ene ee Wasatch Canyon Reporter .. The winter a d a by Craig Gordon “96. Certainly all these canyons”s prodsatcea only spotty results. Hot on the heels of the first oes ‘cane another one and snow totals in upper Big Cottonwood Canyon reached 60”. Saturday, January 20 dawned clear and as I looked around the canyon saw few natural slides and the areas that did slide looked to be disappointingly shallow and not running very far. I later found out all this new snow needed was some coaxing. While doing backcountry explosive testing, outside the Big and Little Cottonwood perimeter, I witnessed some of the largest avalanches of my career. Crowns up to 8’ deep, running very long distances, and sympathetically taking neighboring slopes with slope angles as low ag 25 degrees with them. All the slide paths had a few factors in commen, _Eiey all had an easterly ¢ sOnent, the starting zones were 35 degrees or steeper, and the wear layé ‘aceted snow forme onth and a half ago. U was relieved to find out that these slides Had-tak ‘Chard slab that had formed during the beginning of January. Another series of strong systems moved in on January 22 and lasted through the week. Throughout the week winds ripped, precipitation intensities went through the roof, and both natural and _ artificial induced slides were very large and destructive. On your next drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon, and without holding up traffic, check out the results of the argenta slid as you drive by. | Well, what’s in store for us now... It seems as though Armageddon is durking and paths that did-n’t slide during the storm will remain deadly until the snowpack can adjust to this rapid load. As I read through a weeks summary of slides throughout the canyons the most common element these paths share is-an easterly component. ‘These paths were loaded heavily the past two weeks with winds out of the southwest, west, ain forthwest. Something to keep in the back of your mind or notebook, is that wind can _transpor 9,ten times faster than snow falling from the sky. After looking around today I think your bes est bet is to ski/board areas that have slid already. With more snow on the way ee in touch WE | SHOW ie aga eee and have very well developed avalanche skills before you could trigger are very large and unsurvivable!! eUntl: next time.. . Be aware, take care, and if it’s ee don’t ski it on a dare. Number of lifts operating Base Depth Cost of an all area adult ticket $25 3 Brighton's Snow Report Number | §01-943-8309 Number of lifts operating Base Depth | Cost of an all day ticket Night Skiing Available Gof] 154° $29 $20 Sole Sey The heart of American skiing Park City 801-649-8111 14 of Utah finest since Jan. 16 Number of lifts Open jupiter Total — Full Day/Night LifttPass 140114 117” § $47/$14 wcrc Solitude’s Phone Number Number of lifts Operating Mid Mountain Depth Full Day Lift Pass 1of7 137” $32. BEAVER MOUNTAIN - 501.753.0921 BRIAN HEAD RESORT - 501.677.2035 DEER VALLEY RESORT - 501.649.1000 ELK MEADOWS - 801.438.5433 NORDIC VALLEY - 801.745.3511 _ POWDER MOUNTAIN - 801.745.3771 SNOWBASIN - 801.399.1135 SNOWBIRD - 501.742.2222 SUNDANCE RESORT - &01.225.4107 WOLF MOUNTAIN - 801.649.5400 Other terribly important phone numbers: Cottonwood Canyons Avalanche/Weather Info: 364.1581, Extended: 364.1591 Park City Avalanche/Weather Info: 649.2250 ~ SKIL UTAH Snow Report: 521.8102 UDOT Road Conditions: 964.6000 Weather: 575.7669 ‘ 44 ey Rg i % ae xe , eee, | 4. US Navy Exact Time: 1.900.410.TIME Syst § of a kicker aWith the poo Om quis Becki of a Big Royer’ S. | Best poser air, with frequent carnage: Toss-up between the Whoopie jump a the Souble- clits under Chair 11. Best new additions this year: the Chutes under the Vista Bahn, and the Rotaries Current fast and slow road records between Salt Lake and West Vail exit: 4:42 Bours by David Peck & 7:49 by David Baker on a clear day (what does he do with all those extra hours?) Worst place to speed on that trip: Rte. 6 in Helper, and Rte. 6 close to Green River “ of tickets undisclosed). Best way to ski free at Vail: Pastries for the lifti _ Best parking spot for skiing: this secret is ain a frog’s derriere. Best time to ski Vail: last month, when Utal ©griping and all of Vail was laug Worst time to drive to Vail: right now. Statist ( on’t lie (unless you compare Sni depth with Alta’s). $01-334-1400 > is paramount, you? ve ead volurnes on¢ that ae ‘And Vail’s 4000-plus skiable acres iStndly is a secret. As a five-year veteran of the Vail Valley who has held one of the worst jobs in town and also secured one of the cushiest, I am here to give you the real deal. As one who has hobnobbed with the beautiful affluent, and also closed the nastiest, stickiest bars on many an occasion, I’m giving ) will ever need inane Vail, in no particular ord tary ‘hathrobes: the Sonnenalp Resort Best t ambiguous slogan: ‘There’s no Comparison! © Bri nton ) 7 e 50 Bf Wisdom by D.A. Peck Vail is ‘the center of the skier’s universe. According the the ski media, the skiing public, and Vail’s venerable PR department, Vail is ‘the Golden Child, America’s Team, the Arc of the Covenant. Whether or not you agree with the credo that “there i is no. compatison, ” all this attention has meant that a Vail¥ seh iS poet a well kept secret, ang, a Best snowboarder bar: Sheika’s. Best bookie: J arte Rubis 8 of8 135” a Vail ina Nutshell: an Expatriate’s Wor Alta Ski Lifts 801-742-3333 |
