Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Weather Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Class List UAC Class List Online Classes Resources and Tutorials Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation: Neffs

Observation Date
2/24/2013
Observer Name
Bruce Tremper
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
Main Neffs Canyon - day off with friends to peak at the top
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Low level moisture caused mountaintop level clouds that came and went. Cold - mid teens to single digits. Fresh snow, frosted trees. One of the most beautiful days I have seen this year.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
12"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

Much-needed refresher for our snow surface conditions with about a foot of new snow. Despite being a stunningly beautiful day and a winter wonderland, the new snow was not quite perfect, as it was a bit dense and a wee bit slabby. Trailbreaking was difficult. You had to be on a steep slope to make turns. Wide tools worked best, which I did not have.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Collapsing
Red Flags Comments
Despite a few red flags, the snowpack was remarkably stable. There was some wind affect near the highest ridges but they seemed settled and did not crack. I had the feeling that you needed to be at even higher elevations to find significant loading. One person felt one collapse around 9k on a sheltered north facing slope but it did not move.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #1 Comments

Lingering wind slabs are probably the main problem but we did not see any sensitive ones in that terrain despite being on the high ridge at 9,700'. The person breaking trail at the time decided to avoid one suspicious looking slope near the top but the wind slabs seemed settled and stabilized there. The problem was very localized in Neffs, as near as I could tell.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #2 Comments

If we get warming there will be some damp to wet sluffs on steep, sun exposed slopes. Lots of snow to move.

Comments

Through the clouds, looking across Big Cottonwood Canyon, I could see lots of sluffs or soft slab debris in upper Broad's Fork in the upper bowl coming off the steeper terrain.