Observation: Hayden

Observation Date

11/1/2026

Observer Name

VandenBos

Region

Uintas » Hayden

Location Name or Route

Hayden West Shoulder

Weather

Sky

Obscured

Precipitation

Heavy Snowfall

Wind Direction

South

Wind Speed

Light

Weather Comments

Hammering snow. Heavy mix of stellars, plates, and pellets at sunset. Winds lighter than expected, but I didn't make it up to any high ridgelines today.

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Depth

14"

New Snow Density

High

Snow Characteristics Comments

Impressively stark contrast around the rain line. No snow at all accumulating below 9,700'. By 10,000' there were a few inches of slush on the ground and trees, and by pass level at 10,700' it felt like winter. Here, I found a foot of very dense cream cheese. Snow became slightly lighter as I climbed above this, with 14-16" of warm, damp snow at 11,200'. Some minor density inversions within the new snow. Where I looked at old snow beneath this new snow, it was moist to wet.

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

New Snow

Problem #1 Comments

Storm slabs and loose snow issues would have been my primary concern if I'd been in avalanche terrain. I didn't make it up to exposed alpine terrain, but I'd imagine that wind slabs are a real problem up there based on what I saw down lower today.

Comments

Photos 1 and 2: snow coverage around 10,500'. The majority of this is new snow.

Photo 3: 14" of new snow on top of a few inches of older wet snow at 11,000'.

Photo 4: Floating through the cream cheese

Coordinates

Observation: Hayden

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