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Observation: Uintas

Observation Date
12/22/2023
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas
Location Name or Route
Steiner/Lofty
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
South
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Another mild day for temperatures, some light south winds were blowing at the higher elevations and there was intermittent sun.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Spring like snow conditions this morning at the trail head with some nice surface hoar that developed on the surface. Pretty decent supportable snow even around the Steiner/Lofty area where the snow pack is still quite thin. That dense snow from early this month really went a long way to giving the snow pack some strength and supportability.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
No big red flags today although the snow pack in this area is thin and mostly made up of weak sugary faceted snow. Some mixed results with stability tests where one ECT propagated a crack at 11 taps and one took 22 hits from the shoulder. Would not think the wheels will fall off the bus with tomorrows meager snow amounts?
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Normal Caution
Trend
Same
Comments
Taking care of some trail clean up today and took a quick pass by the Steiner wx station where about 18" or so on the ground.
The place has not changed all that much since I visited this area three weeks ago. There is a bit more snow, but it is far from having good coverage.
The snow depths range from 18" to about two feet in the places I traveled.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates