Observation: Uintas

Observation Date
3/5/2020
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas
Location Name or Route
Upper Whitney Basin/Humpy
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
South
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Clear and sunny, felt a little warmer than yesterday with very light south winds. The trail head is feeling the heat with the first few patches of dirt showing in the parking lot, but the trail conditions are holding up well right now.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Even with the warm temperatures, the snow conditions are still quite good. There is cold dry snow on the higher north facing slopes, a few sun and wind crusts around with supportable snow on all aspects.
Red Flags
Red Flags Comments
No red flags where I traveled, but I would imagine with the warm weather some lower elevation sunny slopes are getting soft and unsupportable.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Normal Caution
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Went with normal caution for the main problem out there, looking around and seeing where folks have been riding, there has not been any issues that I can tell. The winds have been on the light side and not much loose snow to blow around.
Comments
With spring riding conditions coming on with stable and supportable snow, Craig Gordon has been talking about riders getting into steeper terrain and thinking about the slopes we choose to ride. This northeast facing slope in upper Whitney Basin had a large cornice fall and triggered a small avalanche in the recent past. This area went through a natural avalanche cycle earlier in the winter and has remained shallow with weak snow. Trying to know a little history of the slopes we want to ride is always good information to have.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates