Get Your Ticket to the 32nd Annual Backcountry Benefit on September 11th! Support Forecasting, Awareness, and Education
Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Weather Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Class List UAC Class List Online Classes Resources and Tutorials Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation: Weber Canyon

Observation Date
12/11/2013
Observer Name
jg
Region
Uintas » Upper Weber Canyon » Weber Canyon
Location Name or Route
Weber Canyon
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
No wind, no clouds, mild temps.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

Surface hoar on low elevation shady slopes. Near surface and surface facets on mid and upper elevation slopes as well.

Wind exposed terrain was a mix of supportable and breakable crusts, mostly breakable.

Some solar affect noted on lower elevation slopes making the snow surface slightly damp.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Still able to get collapsing and cracking in the snowpack. Lots of weak snow in the bottom portion of the pack.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

The weak faceted snow formed earlier in the season continues to be the problem child.

Snow Profile
Aspect
East
Elevation
10,200'
Slope Angle
22°
Comments

Collapsed this east facing slope walking out to dig a pit. The facets were very weak and loose on this aspect and our pits tests failed with relative ease and with clean shears.

Video
https://vimeo.com/81740468

East facing ECT failed on these facets.

Pit on west facing slope.

Test took some effort to get results but failed with Q1 quality shear. The extended column shot off it's bed surface into the pit upon failure.

The snow surface is weakening with surface and near surface facets observed at all elevations.

Photo #1: surface hoar at low elevation valley bottom.

Photo #2: surface facets at 10,200ft.

Traveled from 7400-10,200, north half of the compass. I would continue to call the danger considerable on upper elevation slopes on the north half of the compass.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable