Here's where it gets tricky. We've got a complex snowpack with a myriad of crusts and weak, sugary snow sandwiched in between. Yes, we've got a deceptively tricky snowpack. As a matter of fact, this layering is the kind of combination when I see the vast majority of close calls and near misses in the western Uinta's.
Before yesterday's big storm, we got nickled, dimed, and teased with bits and pieces of little storms and there wasn't enough weight to activate any of the buried weak layers. However, with yesterday's welcome addition I think we've hit a critical crossroads and our complex snowpack is teetering on the edge. I bet a number of big slopes came to life during the height of yesterdays storm, but I'd also wager there's plenty of slopes just waiting for us to come along and knock the legs out from underneath. Once triggered, an avalanche could quickly get of hand as it breaks to weaker snow near the ground. The best strategy is easy... it's avoidance. Simply avoid being on or underneath steep, wind drifted slopes facing the north half fo the compass. Remember- there are plenty of south facing slopes you can ride throughout the range where you don't even have to deal with this issue.
South half of the range- this snowpit above clearly illustrates the complex snow structure on shady, north facing slopes.
North half of the range... much different snowpack
Click here for a short viddy describing the setup.
Here's your exit strategy for today. South facing terrain that had little or no old weak snow prior to yesterday's big storm.