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Observation: Mirror Lake Highway

Observation Date
12/6/2015
Observer Name
jg
Region
Uintas » Mirror Lake Highway
Location Name or Route
Mirror Lake Highway/Mt. Watson
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Few clouds early in the day made way for scattered to broken skies as the day progressed. Moderate S/SW winds off the ridgelines, strong winds on the ridges with very strong gusts at time. Winds moving snow. Temps in the low to mid 20's at 10K.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

The wind has blowing in the Uintas and any non-protected slopes are a variety of soft snow and wind crusts of varying thicknesses.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

The shallow snow pack is mostly faceted and the wind has been blowing. I was finding wind slabs just off the ridgelines and even lower down in open terrain. Stomping around, I was actually finding these slabs stubborn and mostly just cracking.

Snow Profile
Aspect
East
Elevation
11,000'
Slope Angle
28°
Comments

Variable snowpack in the area I traveled but the theme was facets. If the snowpack wasn't completely faceted top to bottom, there was a wind crust/slab on top of the facets. CT tests failed at the ground with medium to hard effort - CT20, plus or minus a few taps. Overall a shallow, weak snowpack.

Noticed this slide off of Bald Mountain, running just over the summer trail. I watched two snowshoers walk the trail a few days ago.

Bony conditions in the alpine terrain of the Uintas.

Bottom photos of the decomposing stellars that fell on 12/4-5.

Low danger overall but if you get into wind loaded terrain more like moderate danger. Wind is the key factor right now until we see more new snow.

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