WASATCH STOKE, CONDITIONS, OBSERVATIONS and ASSORTED DRIVAL 19-20

**jmedslc** · 02-16-2020, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by tBatt

LCC closed 5:30am-8am tomorrow, FYI. Methinks tomorrow will be super busy. Today wasn't too bad. the Ikon base blackout on holidays really does show.

indeed, Blackout Country Club today at SoliSunday....Happy Residents Day!

**Dshack89** · 02-16-2020, 08:24 PM

Also, when I was skiing Alta this afternoon it was more sierra cement than powder. Hopefully we get some fluff after the front passes, but unfortunately it could be a gong show tomorrow for somewhat mediocre snow.

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**Lone Star** · 02-16-2020, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by tBatt

LCC closed 5:30am-8am tomorrow, FYI. Methinks tomorrow will be super busy. Today wasn't too bad. the Ikon base blackout on holidays really does show.

A-Hah!!! That's why buffler was so good today!!!

**Lone Star** · 02-16-2020, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by Dshack89

Also, when I was skiing Alta this afternoon it was more sierra cement than powder. Hopefully we get some fluff after the front passes, but unfortunately it could be a gong show tomorrow for somewhat mediocre snow.

welcome to the forum mr calamari

**tBatt** · 02-16-2020, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by Dshack89

Also, when I was skiing Alta this afternoon it was more sierra cement than powder. Hopefully we get some fluff after the front passes, but unfortunately it could be a gong show tomorrow for somewhat mediocre snow.

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Skied kinda nice for 5" new on a crust. a bit of up-side-down-ness to the snow with a rime crust in between. Lotsa shooting cracks today but not quite enough weight to move until late. Had a buddy scare himself on Heaven's gate today. UAC forecast was moderate but I'd surely say we 'spiked to considerable.' Curious to see what happens with tomorrow morning's shoot.

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**skiATL** · 02-17-2020, 12:31 AM

Went to the west slabs for the first time yesterday to ski Medusa and Zues with rwalk and non mag Willy T.

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The verticality is pretty crazy.

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Lots of sidestepping and hop turns.

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Interestingly, we ran into another party up there, and at least 2 parties skied it prior in the week. It's def getting a lot of action. These days.
Zues

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There really is something about seeing ski lines from a Combination KFC/Taco Bell.

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Great to see folks up at the Dolphin and such. I've been itching to get up around those lines and some obscure stuff low in lcc.

**Mr_Lahey** · 02-17-2020, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by tBatt

the Ikon base blackout on holidays really does show.

Like night and day.

#fucktheikonpass
#LCCikonfree

**Dshack89** · 02-17-2020, 02:36 AM

^^skiatl: Nice work, those photos are incredible!!

Looks like NW flow is going to indeed deliver overnight for LCC...7" since closing so far and the radar looks good for more

**snowaddict91** · 02-17-2020, 04:58 AM

LCC closed due to natural activity. No est reopening time. Guess I may just take today off.

Kinda BS that the ikon blackout ends today but our Wasatch benefit is still blacked out.

**alias_rice** · 02-17-2020, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by snowaddict91

LCC closed due to natural activity. No est reopening time. Guess I may just take today off.

Kinda BS that the ikon blackout ends today but our Wasatch benefit is still blacked out.

Yup. I’m sitting here trying to get the motivation to go sit in traffic for 3 hours. It’d be a perfect Deer Valley day though.

**123ski** · 02-17-2020, 08:08 AM

Wonder if LCC is even going to open

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**Dshack89** · 02-17-2020, 08:15 AM

I'm sure there are others much more in the know...but at the UAC event last week at BD, Mark Saurer of UDOT talked about how greased the slide paths were and how concerned they were about how easy it would be to hit the road now. He mentioned potentially building some avy barriers / diversion structures using snow debris. This would take a ton of manpower and is a short term fix, but it seems like something like that may be required or we are gonna have a ton of closures and/or sketchy drives the rest of this season.

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**schindlerpiste** · 02-17-2020, 08:38 AM

I wonder how much the summer mud slides are contributing to all of these slides on the LCC road?
Headed to DV today. ...stoked.....Perfect day for x-files

**tBatt** · 02-17-2020, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by Lone Star

welcome to the forum mr calamari

Hey I get that it's upside down but it's better than being interlodged all day!

Toledo had some "big naturals" overnight.

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Originally Posted by schindlerpiste

I wonder how much the summer mud slides are contributing to all of these slides on the LCC road

Didn't have much activity until we had an 80" base or so. Now that the paths are filled up is when we start seeing more go to the road.

**altacoup** · 02-17-2020, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by schindlerpiste

I wonder how much the summer mud slides are contributing to all of these slides on the LCC road?
Headed to DV today. ...stoked.....Perfect day for x-files

All slides that have hit the road this year are not in areas that were affected by summer mud slides. If Lisa falls hits the road this year (the path most affected this summer) that will be a truly historic size slide, as its natural path is different than the mud slide path. The snow pack was extremely unstable in the last storm. The slides that hit the road then have really loaded the paths with a ton of snow. Making it much easier for smaller slides to hit the road. My guess is that anything over 8 inches of snow will result in a road closure for the rest of the season. Where as traditionally it required an inch of water for a road closure. Based on how long it took Udot to clean up the road from the heat storm I have zero faith they will build temporary snow diversions. Also the snow was very reactive yesterday but had little energy. The over night snow tipped the deck.

**AKbruin** · 02-17-2020, 01:27 PM

Hello Utahns. Greetings from Tahoe, where it apparently no longer snows. Desperation has me contemplating a 7-hour drive to your parts this coming weekend. It looks like avy conditions are a little sketchy at present but that the Wasatch should have mostly nice weather heading into this weekend. Do you think it's likely that avy conditions will stabilize for bigger, steeper objectives this coming weekend?* [ETA: In case it wasn't obvious, I meant conditions in the backcountry.]

*I come from the Sierra, where 95% of the time sketchy avy conditions quickly mellow out after a few days. Utah's continental snow pack, however, frightens and confuses me.

**skaredshtles** · 02-17-2020, 01:29 PM

Sounds like Utah is gonna get Californicated.

NTTAWWT.

**AKbruin** · 02-17-2020, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by skaredshtles

Sounds like Utah is gonna get Californicated.

NTTAWWT.

Oh, it's worse than that. I'd be coming from the Nevada side of the lake with a van full of legal prostitutes and weed.

**happytimefunbox** · 02-17-2020, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by AKbruin

Oh, it's worse than that. I'd be coming from the Nevada side of the lake with a van full of legal prostitutes and weed.

Howdy and welcome to Zion where yer skunk cabbage and ladies of ill repute are welcome!
Cant comment on avy conditions for next weekend but there are zones to play in even when UAC is spouting fire and brimstone yer gonna die conditions.

**Lone Star** · 02-17-2020, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by AKbruin

Hello Utahns. Greetings from Tahoe, where it apparently no longer snows. Desperation has me contemplating a 7-hour drive to your parts this coming weekend. It looks like avy conditions are a little sketchy at present but that the Wasatch should have mostly nice weather heading into this weekend. Do you think it's likely that avy conditions will stabilize for bigger, steeper objectives this coming weekend?* [ETA: In case it wasn't obvious, I meant conditions in the backcountry.]

*I come from the Sierra, where 95% of the time sketchy avy conditions quickly mellow out after a few days. Utah's continental snow pack, however, frightens and confuses me.

The last two storms were very Sierra-y, by next weekend you'll probably need to worry more about sun/wind damage than avalanche danger.

**SirHeady** · 02-17-2020, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by AKbruin

Hello Utahns. Greetings from Tahoe, where it apparently no longer snows. Desperation has me contemplating a 7-hour drive to your parts this coming weekend. It looks like avy conditions are a little sketchy at present but that the Wasatch should have mostly nice weather heading into this weekend. Do you think it's likely that avy conditions will stabilize for bigger, steeper objectives this coming weekend?* [ETA: In case it wasn't obvious, I meant conditions in the backcountry.]

*I come from the Sierra, where 95% of the time sketchy avy conditions quickly mellow out after a few days. Utah's continental snow pack, however, frightens and confuses me.

Go to Colorado instead pls , that’s where the continental snowpack is n e wayz

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**skaredshtles** · 02-17-2020, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by SirHeady

Go to Colorado instead pls , that’s where the continental snowpack is n e wayz

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This would be a mistake. There's almost no coverage anywhere and where there is some, you'll probably die.

**Dshack89** · 02-17-2020, 03:54 PM

Nice running into tbatt and Lone Star today on the kitty!

Today turned out pretty damn good...here's a non-mag buddy soon after Keyhole opened:

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**tBatt** · 02-17-2020, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by AKbruin

Hello Utahns. Greetings from Tahoe, where it apparently no longer snows. Desperation has me contemplating a 7-hour drive to your parts this coming weekend. It looks like avy conditions are a little sketchy at present but that the Wasatch should have mostly nice weather heading into this weekend. Do you think it's likely that avy conditions will stabilize for bigger, steeper objectives this coming weekend?

What Lone Star said. Things will likely settle out in a few days. You're gonna want to keep it north facing by the time the weekend comes.

Dshack, good to meet ya. That was an excellent lap.

**Djongo Unchained** · 02-17-2020, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by AKbruin

Hello Utahns. Greetings from Tahoe, where it apparently no longer snows. Desperation has me contemplating a 7-hour drive to your parts this coming weekend. It looks like avy conditions are a little sketchy at present but that the Wasatch should have mostly nice weather heading into this weekend. Do you think it's likely that avy conditions will stabilize for bigger, steeper objectives this coming weekend?* [ETA: In case it wasn't obvious, I meant conditions in the backcountry.]

*I come from the Sierra, where 95% of the time sketchy avy conditions quickly mellow out after a few days. Utah's continental snow pack, however, frightens and confuses me.

Originally Posted by AKbruin

Oh, it's worse than that. I'd be coming from the Nevada side of the lake with a van full of legal prostitutes and weed.

High AKBruin. May I suggest Wyoming?
Our snowpack is deep, bomber and ready for you and all the special lady friends you can pack into the family truckster.

- Djongo from the Teton Alpine Zone.

Originally Posted by happytimefunbox

Howdy and welcome to Zion where yer skunk cabbage and ladies of ill repute are welcome!
Cant comment on avy conditions for next weekend but there are zones to play in even when UAC is spouting fire and brimstone yer gonna die conditions.

Don't listen to him.