Observation: Whitney Basin

Observation Date

4/24/2016

Observer Name

Ted Scroggin

Region

Uintas » Bear River Ranger District » Whitney Basin

Location Name or Route

Whitney Basin

Weather

Sky

Broken

Wind Direction

South

Wind Speed

Light

Weather Comments

The morning started out with mostly cloudy skies, light snowfall with no real accumulation, while the afternoon was broken sky with quick periods of sunshine.

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Depth

New Snow Density

High

Snow Surface Conditions

Powder

Melt-Freeze Crust

Damp

Snow Characteristics Comments

Just an inch or two of new snow down near the highway, while in the Whitney Basin 4-5" of medium to heavy dense snow fell with the recent storm.

Red Flags

Wind Loading

Rapid Warming

Red Flags Comments

Some wind drifting on the north through northeast facing slopes, but these seemed pretty well settled out while we were up along the ridge lines in the afternoon. The new snow quickly took on the heat even with mostly cloudy skies, but just enough filtered sunshine to trigger some wet loose slides that only involved the new snow on north aspects.

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Wet Snow

Trend

Same

Problem #1 Comments

Once the new snow heated-up today and a person did a small slope cut on a steeper slope, wet loose sluffs quickly got out of hand. These wet sluffs were sliding on the old melt freeze crust under the new snow. Some of these had decent debris piles and could tumble a rider.

Comments

Most of the day was cloudy and cool with frosty trees and low clouds, but by mid afternoon some sunshine filtered through.

Once triggered these wet sluffs could get a little out of hand, sliding on the old melt freeze crust and piling up some heavy wet snow.

Today's Observed Danger Rating

Moderate

Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating

Moderate

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