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: Hansen Hollow

Observation Date
2/19/2014
Observer Name
Mike Carlisle
Region
Logan » Franklin Basin » Hansen Hollow
Location Name or Route
Franklin Basin - Hansen Hollow
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Began snowing hard about 0900 hrs this morning. Dropped an inch in about 45 minutes then moderate snowfall for the last hour before digging this pit.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
8-10 percent snow on top 5 cm. As you all know here in northern UT we had a very warm storm come through last weekend. There are two hard crusts (knife layers) just a few cm apart just below the new snow.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
The bottom 50cm of snow is very weak.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Early winter shallow snow and cold temperatures resulted in large temperature gradient developing large angular crystals that now plague our snowpack on most aspects at these higher elevations. The bottom two layers are very weak (fist) but there is a grain size change at about 42 cm where I consistently got the most stability test results.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
I repeated similar results (CT 14) at 106 CM (3 total compression test). Because this layer was hard to detect I am assuming some surface hoar that developed here (possibly some near surface faceting). I did not detect this layer change until I did some pre CT shovel shear testing.
Snow Profile
Aspect
West
Elevation
8,400'
Slope Angle
31°
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates