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Observation: Weber Canyon

Observation Date
2/5/2013
Observer Name
jg
Region
Uintas
Location Name or Route
Weber Canyon
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Cloudy. Light to moderate wind gusts on the high ridges but not moving snow. Warm, 32º at 10,000. Clouds creating green housing effect.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Creamy snow. 3" ski penetration at 9000ft. Surface hoar noted at low elevation and up to 9500ft., although spotty at higher elevations. Near surface faceting noted also. Snow surface damp to 9000 ft.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Comments
Traveled from 7400-10,200, north thru west aspects, slope angles to 36º. Test pit at 9500 ft on a 28º slope facing NW. HS 45" (115cm) CT results were CT15-20 Q2 on 2mm facets 12inches (32cm) from surface. ECTX. No results on our extended column tests. New snow has settled by half. Although not reactive in ECT tests, the preserved facets from January are showing clean shears in CT's. The snowpack is adjusting to the load of last weeks snow but there is still a good chance of triggering avalanches in steeper terrain, especially in areas where the pack is thin. The trend, most likely, will be for more stable snow. Daytime heating will effect stability.
Surface hoar and near surface facets - 9500 ft. on a NW aspect.
CT's failed on both the upper and lower horizontal lines but most were in the top line. Both failing on 2mm faceted crystals.