Observation Date
12/30/2016
Observer Name
C Brown
Region
Uintas » Upper Weber Canyon
Location Name or Route
Upper Weber Canyon
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Got pretty warm to day other than the light to moderate winds up high on the ridgelines. Sun was out all day, but the South's in mid to upper elevations didn't pick up as much heat as yesterday due to the winds. Some wind transport going on along the upper ridges.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Similar to yesterday's mixed bag, but adding some new sun crust on low to mid elevation slopes steep enough to ski. Didn't quite soften any where the wind was keeping it cold.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
Noticable wind transport going on along upper ridgelines adding weight to and forming new wind slabs.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Found another sensitive wind slab around 10,000' steep rocky East facing starting zone. Released immediately when medium cornice was dropped on the slope. Wind slab was about 30'x20' and about 12" deep and entrained loose surface snow from the Christmas storm. Surprisingly fast moving. As is common with Wind slabs, this is isolated pockets and not connected. Luckily they don't seem to be stepping down deeper in the pack. With available snow for transport, continued winds and how sensitive they appeared again today I would say this has a slightly increasing danger.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #2 Comments
The high steep rocky North's continue to be suspect in my mind, but I have not loked at these slopes for some time, and would be interested in looking at something that has old weak snow (pre-Thanksgiving storm), on the ground and see if and how these are healing.
Comments
Picture of the starting zone and crown in first two pictures. You can see some sluffing on the steep roll to the left in the third picture. Fourth and fifth picture you can see where the pocket came out under the cornice, looks like an upside down triangle.
I think looking at mid and lower elevation South's that may have some crust-facet sandwiches in the pack before this next storm could be interesting/valuable information.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
