Observation: Weber Canyon 2/5/2012

Observer Name: 
Bruce Tremper
Observation Date: 
02/05/2012
Region: 
Uintas
Weber Canyon
Weather
Sky: 
Clear
Weather Comments: 

We did an outing with friends on my day off in Weber Canyon.

Weather was clear with a bit of a breeze from the east along the upper ridges.

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Depth: 
7"
New Snow Density: 
Low
Snow Surface Conditions: 
Powder
Snow Characteristic Comments: 

Great riding on low angled terrain.

Primary Concern

Primary Concern: 
Deep Slabs
Probability: 
Moderate
Aspect: 
North
Northeast
East
West
Northwest
Elevation: 
High
Mid
Trend: 
Same
Primary Concern Comments: 

The deep slabs were the main problem, as usual.  My snowpits showed a shallow snowpack with the usual, very weak faceted snow on the bottom third of the snowpack.  You can feel this easily as you punch through and on foot you easily sink down to your crotch in faceted snow beneath a barely supportable slab.

I dug pits from about 8,500' to around 10,000' on northwest facing slopes.  They were all about the same with compression tests failing with medium elbow taps and Extended Column Tests propagating also with medium elbow taps.

Needless to say, we stuck to slopes less than 30 degrees and found excellent riding conditions on the wind and sun sheltered slopes.

Secondary Concern

Secondary Concern: 
Wind Slabs
Probability: 
Moderate
Aspect: 
Southwest
West
Northwest
Elevation: 
High
Trend: 
Less Dangerous
Secondary Concern Comments: 

The stiff winds over the past several days left the upper elevation terrain quite wind blasted with sastrugi in most areas with stiff, hard wind slabs on most of the west facing slopes.  If these rest on any of the faceted snow, they are especially dangerous.

snow_profile_location: 
Comments - Photos - Videos (group 1)

Here is a quick video of the snowpit test results from one pit today.  This was similar to what I was finding in other snowpits as well. 

I dug pits from about 8,500' to around 10,000' on northwest facing slopes.  They were all about the same with compression tests failing with medium elbow taps and Extended Column Tests propagating also with medium elbow taps.

Needless to say, we stuck to slopes less than 30 degrees and found excellent riding conditions on the wind and sun sheltered slopes.

Sorry about the abbreviated report, but it's supposed to be my day off and it's late...

Video 1: 
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