Sunday, January 22, 2012

Storm Potpourri

Storm totals reported this morning by the Utah Avalanche Center for this weekend's storm (snowfall and snow water equivalent):

Little Cottonwood: 24"/2.39"
Big Cottonwood: 29"/3.35"
Park City Mountains: 15"/1.8"
Ogden Mountains: 22"/2.46"
Provo Mountains: 19"/1.93"

Quite an event.  Avalanche conditions sound like the worst since I moved here in 1995.  Some quotes from the advisory:

"One 20 year patrolman remarked it was [one of] the most impressive snow events he'd ever seen"
"It was probably the diciest day I've experienced in many years"

The latter comment refers to the backcountry avalanche conditions.

This morning the Town of Alta is interlodged and Little Cottonwood Canyon is closed. Estimated opening time is 10:30 am.  Big Cottonwood is open.

My rule of thumb is that 24-hour snow totals of 24" often put you into the "too much of a good thing" category, unless the snow is all low water content (which wasn't the case yesterday).  Looks like we're there.

The powder skiing should be sublime if they can get anything open.

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