Observation: Uintas

Observation Date

12/23/2012

Observer Name

Michael Janulaitis

Region

Uintas

Location Name or Route

Duke

Weather

Sky

Broken

Wind Direction

Southwest

Wind Speed

Light

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Depth

New Snow Density

Low

Snow Surface Conditions

Powder

Wind Crust

Melt-Freeze Crust

Snow Characteristics Comments

My sled easily broke through the snow pack and if not careful could have easily been stuck. I saw several holes from others digging since the last storm. I had to be extra careful of deadfall as the snow pack is still very thin at all elevations. I skied NW and SW aspects in treed areas. Both aspects produced light powder on top supportable snow pack with an occasional wind slab and/or melt/freeze crust.

Red Flags

Wind Loading

Poor Snowpack Structure

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Persistent Weak Layer

Problem #1 Comments

I dug a pit at 10466 just below the top of Duke on the NW slope in a sheltered area about 100 yards off the top. The snow pack was 110 cm and was only failing 100 cm down on a facet/depth hoar base CT SC 21/26. I made the mistake of digging my pit on a 20 degree slope so I can't be sure if the CT would have actually failed SP. Extended column test did not fail.

Snow Profile

Aspect

Northwest

Elevation

10,500'

Slope Angle

20°

Coordinates

Observation: Uintas

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