Observation Date
1/5/2017
Observer Name
Kikkert
Region
Uintas » Upper Weber Canyon
Location Name or Route
Upper Weber Canyon
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Overcast in the morning, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Winds were generally light and temperatures cold.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
13"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
13 inches overnight, with around 2 feet since Sunday night. Yesterdays density inversions had settled out and the last couple inches that fell last night were very light density. Pretty amazing conditions.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
Approached all slopes with caution due to the amount of new snow (nearly 3 inches of water since sunday) and yesterdays heavy winds. Although there was not a lot of evidence of a natural cycle, there were a few areas that slid during the storm, see photos below.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Problem #1 Comments
Primary concern was wind slabs from yesterday's and last nights winds. Single shot produced a large avalanche in a heavily loaded area, running on a wind/sun crust. Could have easily been triggered by a person. That said, I think many of the wind slabs were already settling out, and I think you needed a steep, heavily loaded slope like the one tested (photos below).
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #2 Comments
Although I have been finding the near surface facets formed last week to not be overly weak, still concerned in steep northerly terrain. At least one natural looked to step down to this layer (see photo below). Dug a pit on a very steep north facing slope at around 9,500'. Could get full propagation 2 feet down on this layer. Although it took some effort (ECTP 29 Q2), propagation and clean shear is enough to have me wanting to leave steep shady slopes alone for a bit longer. See pit profile.
Snow Profile Shallow slab up high that looks to have triggered a deeper pocket down low.
Poor light makes it difficult to see, but lots of new snow slides during the storm on the right side of the picture that looks to have stepped down to buried weak layers (barely visible crowns in the middle of the picture).
Last two photos show slide triggered on a heavily loaded slope. I have no double this could have been triggered by a person and would have been a very dangerous ride with deep debris.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
