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Observation: Bald Mtn Pass

Observation Date
3/10/2015
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas » Mirror Lake Highway » Bald Mtn Pass
Location Name or Route
Murdock Pk, Bald Mt., Hwy 150
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
A good overnight refreeze with hard frozen tracks this morning, softening-up later this morning. Another clear and beautiful day in the high country with little to no wind and mild temperatures.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
The high elevation north facing terrain around Bald Mt. is still holding onto nice dense settled powder, but loose a little slope angle and the sun is turning the snow into damp sticky conditions. It's a great time to be out moving around the mountains with a mostly supportable base and decent snow coverage in the mid and high elevation terrain.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
Just some minor wet roller balls and a few damp sluffs on sunny slopes, but these did not entrain much snow.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
The persistent slab problem is more likely to be an issue in the terrain around Bald Mt. and other high elevation, shallow, thin rocky areas. Many slopes have been ridden without any avalanches triggered, but there could be the isolated area where a person could find a weak shallow spot.
Comments
Old news, but I was pretty impressed with the depth of this old crown under Reid's Peak. Possibly snow from high on the peak cascaded down and triggered this slide during the last storm cycle? Also, more old news, but a good photo of the fairly widespread natural avalanche cycle the area went through with the last storm.
One of those days when the skies are clear, winds are generally calm and the snowpack is mostly stable, making for a beautiful day in the high country.
The snow conditions around the trailhead are back to thin and pretty rough for the first mile or so of highway.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate