Observation: Currant Creek

Observation Date

1/9/2024

Observer Name

Staples & Trenbeath

Region

Uintas » Currant Creek

Location Name or Route

Currant Creek Peak area

Weather

Sky

Obscured

Wind Speed

Strong

Weather Comments

Strong winds moving lots of snow.

Snow Characteristics

Snow Characteristics Comments

Hard to measure new snow amounts with all the wind today. Drifts everywhere.

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Wind Drifted Snow

Trend

Increasing Danger

Problem #1 Comments

Winds created formed slabs on many slopes today. Slopes can either be loaded by winds or even just wind "affected". Either case will make avalanches on bured facets much more likely. We had limited visibility, but on the slopes we could see, I was surprised to not see any natural avalanche activity.

Avalanche Problem #2

Problem

Persistent Weak Layer

Trend

Increasing Danger

Problem #2 Comments

There is weak, faceted snow buried under new snow since Jan 4th everywhere. Slopes that don't have buried facets have more sagebrush and minimal snow cover.

In the Currant Creek Peak area, there is still not quite enough of a load or slab on top of the facets to really cause widespread avalanches. However, the facets that formed during the December drought are so incredible weak that I wouldn't trust them on any slope.

Snow Profile

Aspect

Northeast

Elevation

9,100'

Comments

In the snow profile above, extended column tests (ECT) don't produce any results. The low density new snow and very weak facets underneath just crumble under your shovel.

It's a very different story in the wind. The photo below shows the snowpack on a slope where winds created a very hard slab on top of the weak facets. In that location, the ECT fractured and propagated as soon as the column was isolated without tapping on it with my shovel.

Photo 1 - snow pit with wind slab on top

Photo 2 - December facets

Photo 3 - drifting along road

Photo 4 - Currant Creek Peak