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Observation: Mirror Lake Highway

Observation Date
4/11/2014
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas » Mirror Lake Highway
Location Name or Route
Hwy 150, Bald Mt.
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Another nice day on the north slope, a little cooler this morning allowed for a better refreeze, but it was short lived. Still unsupportable conditions in low and mid elevations around the Hwy and Whitney area. Moderate winds up on the pass today kept some of the wet activity in check.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Spring like snow out there, a light refreeze this morning allowed for a brief window of supportable snow, but the temperatures quickly warmed-up and the snow pack was too soft for sled travel in the low and mid elevations. The higher terrain provided some decent riding with damp powder like snow in protected high north facing terrain.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
I observed mainly wet loose natural avalanches today, some of these were entraining a decent amount of heavy wet debris as they moved down the slope. These are not big slides, but you would not want to be in the path of some of these.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Many slopes have started to shed their winter coats with some decent debris piles on mostly east through west facing slopes.
Comments
Not great photos of a few of the bigger wet natural slides I observed up the Mirror Lake Hwy from today.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate