Observation: Upper Weber Canyon

Observation Date
12/9/2016
Observer Name
Craig Gordon/Jason Boyer
Region
Uintas » Upper Weber Canyon
Location Name or Route
North Country
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
New snow is glued in and wind not making much of a differance
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
8"
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Lots of water in the new snow. Dense, surfy conditions.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Couple red flags for sure, but it feels like the new snow isn't quite cohesive enough to connect the dots and form a slab.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments

One side is brushy, one side is white. Pretty easy to tell the winds were blowing left to right.

Pockety and manageable, yesterday we found the fresh wind drifts sort of lifeless with no snap.

Comments

For the shady slopes facing the north half of the compass, ​this is a good looking Uinta snowpack. In general, it's well-behaved and homogenous and we're not dealing with our usual weak snow issues near the ground. My snow crystal card is at the interface of this weeks cold snow which turned loose and sugary and now preserved and buried under Thursday night's storm. This layer is something we'll need to keep on eye on.

Recent winds have stripped upper elevation slopes facing the south half of the compass and they remain thin and brushy with low avalanche danger.

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