Observation: Talking Mt. Cirque

Observation Date
3/27/2024
Observer Name
Trenbeath, Murdock
Region
Moab » Talking Mt. Cirque
Location Name or Route
Talking Mountain Cirque
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Glorious spring day in the mountains with light winds and unseasonably cool temps - daytime high at 10,000' barely hit 30F, and up in the high country where we spent most of our tour, temps barely hit 20F. Skies were 90% sunny but with a few low, convective clouds.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
14" of new snow fell between Sunday night and Monday, and with a decent amount of cloud cover, conditions have been excellent the last few days. They are still quite good, especially on northerly aspects below about 12,000'. Above that elevation, good snow can still be found but you have to be a little more choosy with your aspect, as a period of moderate NW winds has done a little damage to windward slopes, and leeward slopes have sustained a fair bit of wind loading. A strong sun today hit all exposed slopes and this time of year, even low angle northerlies are not spared. Expect all but sheltered, and high elevation northerly aspcets to have a crust tomorrow.
Wind damaged snow on upper elevation W-NW aspects:
In the photo below you can see where the snow gets good in this NW facing couloir. The upper portion above the choke was pretty wind wrecked. It got progressively better after that. The low angle run out was getting damp and will likely have a crust tomorrow:
The best conditions exist right around treeline and just above on north facing slopes:
In the photo below you can see that N-NE aspects hold the most snow and they are the least wind damaged. They are however, the aspects that have received the most wind loading, and you can observe pillowy, wind drifted snow at the highest elevations, particularly on the NE face of Mount Tukuhnikivatz or Tuk (pronounced touque):
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
14" of snow earlier in the week was blown into slabs of wind drifted snow at upper elevations resulting in a few, small, natural avalanches. In our travels today we found some non-reactive, slabby conditions and some thick wind crusts. Most wind loading is at the highest elevations on N-NE aspects. We did not venture into this terrain, but in the photo above you can see the obvious drifted areas. I suspect these wind slabs have mostly gained strength, but I would continue to be suspicious of them, especially in areas of consequential terrain.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates