Observation: Whitney Basin

Observation Date

3/14/2014

Observer Name

Ted Scroggin

Region

Uintas » Bear River Ranger District » Whitney Basin

Location Name or Route

Whitney Basin-Yamaha Hill, Humpy Peak

Weather

Sky

Clear

Wind Direction

Southwest

Wind Speed

Light

Weather Comments

Another stellar day in the Uintas. Cold start to the morning with single digits at the trail head, but things quickly warmed-up. Light winds along the ridge lines not moving snow around.

Snow Characteristics

Snow Surface Conditions

Powder

Wind Crust

Melt-Freeze Crust

Damp

Snow Characteristics Comments

Good spring conditions with riders able to access lots of terrain with ease. Very nice riding and turning on high sheltered north facing slopes. South aspects still kept a breakable crust into the early afternoon.

Red Flags

Red Flags Comments

No red flags observed today, but the possibility for deeper avalanches to happen is still out there. Although old news, the slide along the Humpy Peak ridge line is a good indicator that weak snow still exists on north through east facing slopes.

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Persistent Weak Layer

Trend

Same

Problem #1 Comments

Still keeping the deep slab problem as the #1 issue. Although getting more isolated, it is still very possible to trigger one of these deep avalanches with the right terrain.

Avalanche Problem #2

Problem

Persistent Weak Layer

Trend

Increasing Danger

Problem #2 Comments

I did not observe any wind issues today, but the Uintas always seem to generate plenty of wind. In the high wind exposed terrain a few old wind slabs may still be lurking out there. Looks like winds are forecasted to ramp up this evening with the approaching storm, so tomorrow may have more wind slabs and drifted snow developing.

Comments

This avalanche may have happened during the big wind event at the first of the month when the area saw other big natural avalanches. I'm guessing strong southwest winds overloaded a thin weak snow pack on this northeast facing slope. It took out the seasons entire snow pack along with a few small evergreen trees. Not a real wide slide, but again the crowns on these deep avalanches this season continue to be real eye openers.

These are the types of slopes that lure us into them with nice cold powder and not too many trees. How could this slope avalanche when there is bushes and vegetation poking through the snow? Once we collapse the weak snow around the bushes and if the slope is connected to thicker snow above and to the side, we are likely dealing with a large deep avalanche.

Today's Observed Danger Rating

Moderate

Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating

Considerable

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