Observation Date
4/19/2013
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas
Location Name or Route
Whitney Basin
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Mostly low clouds with a few brief periods of filtered sun. Light winds along the ridgelines and some very light snowfall early in the afternoon.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Quite good riding and turning with dense settled powder on a mostly supportable base. Snow conditions are holding up very well with cold dry snow on the higher north facing slopes. Riders are finding great conditions with tracks observed in places that had little snow earlier in the season.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Red Flags Comments
Still some lingering wind slabs along the ridgelines on slopes that are on the south side of the compass from the north and northwest winds recently. These wind slabs were still cracking from the weight of a person, but were not overly sensitive. Today's winds were from a south/southwest direction drifting some snow onto northerly facing slopes. I would not rule out the possibility of a slide breaking into old snow in those places where the snowpack has been thin all season and where the terrain is steep and rocky.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Should see a fresh round of wind slabs from the approaching storm as the winds were increasing this afternoon.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
I don't think I can completley ignore the deep or persisent slab avalanche issue that the area has seen recently. The snowpack might have adjusted for the time being, but any big change seems to reactivate the well developed facets that formed this season. Steep and thin rocky terrain are those places where this issue is possible.
Comments
The snow is a little thin getting out of the trailhead, but up high the snow conditions are quite good wih dense settled powder. It's worth a trip out to enjoy these recent winter like storms that have really improved the area.
