Observation Date
3/13/2021
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas » Double Hill
Location Name or Route
Whitney Basin-Double Hill
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
East
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Mostly cloudy with some brief periods of sunshine and a cold east wind up on the ridge lines.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
10"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
To me it looked like around 10-12" has accumulated since the Wednesday storm out in the Whitney area. Quite nice snow conditions, some of the old tracks have filled in and riders today were finding good supportable conditions. Good to see winter is still around for the time being.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Red Flags Comments
The strong east winds were the main red flag today and the hazard was on the south side of the compass with lots of blowing and drifting snow along the exposed ridge lines.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
The moderate to strong east winds were creating shallow, but sensitive soft wind drifted snow on the more exposed ridges. The drifted snow would easily crack ahead of skis and sleds, these were about 12-16" deep. It is unusual to have the east winds moving snow onto the south facing aspects and I had to keep reminding myself where the hazard was today.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
Maybe not quite ready to forget about the persistent weak snow that has been down near the ground. Where I dug today it might be looking a little better where the snow pack is deeper, but would not fully trust it in thinner places and areas at and above treeline.
Comments
Getting a little more encouraged with how the snow pack is evolving, the faceted snow near the ground appears to be less weak and unconsolidated and could not get a crack to propagate across a column of snow.
A nice 10" roughly in Whitney that has accumulated from the last few days, filling in some tracks and making for some decent spring riding.
Not a great photo, but normally the wind blows from left to right( south to north ) along the Double Hill Ridge Line, but today it was from the east creating unusual conditions.
Riders were finding new snow and good riding conditions today.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates
