Observation: Whitney Basin

Observation Date

3/19/2026

Observer Name

Ted Scroggin

Region

Uintas » Whitney Basin

Location Name or Route

Whitney

Weather

Sky

Clear

Wind Direction

Southwest

Wind Speed

Moderate

Weather Comments

Another warm start to the day with clear skies, the winds were calm to light except on the ridgelines where they were a bit more gusty from the southwest. Already at 9:00am I could feel the sun starting to beat down and it did not take long before I was stopping to shed layers on the ride in.

Snow Characteristics

Snow Surface Conditions

Wind Crust

Melt-Freeze Crust

Damp

Snow Characteristics Comments

A very thin refreeze overnight which the snowpack did loose some heat from the clear skis and did provide decent supportability this morning. The bottom was not falling out of the snowpack which we can thank the winds for. Snow conditions were mostly damp spring like snow, with some thin melt freeze crusts and some hard raised old tracks on the ridge tops.

Red Flags

Rapid Warming

Poor Snowpack Structure

Red Flags Comments

For the moment, the snowpack is holding up thanks to the light to moderate winds keeping the surface slightly coolish. I was surprised there was no real wet snow issues, not even minor roller balls in the Double Hill, Moffit Peak area. With increasing temperatures and poor refreezes at night, it seems like it's just a matter of time before things could get more interesting.

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Wet Snow

Trend

Increasing Danger

Problem #1 Comments

Watching and waiting to see how our unusual snowpack handles this rapid warm up.

Comments

Just enough of a thin refreeze overnight to keep the sled from punching through.

Generally little to no wet snow issues today, the winds have been keeping things from coming unglued. What a bummer to see a dirt layer that is on the surface which will speed up the snow melt.

Some rugged snow conditions on the ridge tops from steady winds stripping snow down to the dirt.

It did not take long this afternoon before the snow surface softened.

Pretty quiet these days and would imagine folks are losing interest and turning to other spring activities.

Today's Observed Danger Rating

Considerable

Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating

Considerable

Coordinates

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