Observation Date
3/15/2013
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas
Location Name or Route
Whitney Basin
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
A warm start to the day with the morning low of 36 degrees at the trailhead. Increasing high clouds and winds picking up late in the afternoon.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Somewhat supportable conditions this morning, but quickly changed with warming and the southerly aspects quickly became damp and soft. The north facing slopes are a mix of settled powder, old wind slabs and sun crusted snow.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Collapsing
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
The warm-up this week and little to no refreeze at night has weakened the snow pack with very punchy damp snow conditions. A cooler weekend might help to put any wet activity on hold. Some collapses were felt on south facing slopes.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #1 Comments
Cooler temperatures should help to keep the wet slide activity in check, but with such a weak snow pack even at higher elevations the potential is still there for deeper avalanches to occurr.
Comments
The lower elevations really took a hit this week with patches of pavement showing on the highway and the trailhead is just about melted-out.
Somewhat old news, but a picture of a shallow wind slab that stepped down into old weak snow as it crashed over the rocks below. It is pretty amazing how even high on the slope there is very weak snow that has been there all season long.
