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Observation: Whitney Basin

Observation Date
3/20/2018
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas » Bear River Ranger District » Whitney Basin
Location Name or Route
Whitney Basin
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Mostly cloudy, but with some brief periods of sun, light to moderate southwest winds and temperatures did not get all that warm.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Spring snow conditions which varied with aspect and elevation. Crusts and damp snow on most sunny slopes, dense loose and some dry settled powder with wind crusts on the ridge lines. The riding and turning was fairly good this afternoon as the lack of sun, moderate winds and slightly cool temperatures kept the snow surface from getting too damp and unsupportable.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
Very little in the red flag issues, temperatures stayed reasonably cool and the winds kept conditions from getting to wet and unstable. The winds were the only red flag I observed with minimal wind loading and no real issues.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
I was finding only cracking of some very minor shallow wind drifts and these were not large or deep.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
I went with loose wet as some potential issues with warm temperatures and forecasted rain this week.
Comments
The terrain I observed today had no recent avalanche activity from the Sunday storm, other than some shallow sluffing of new snow. The snow pack in this area seemed to have adjusted to the added weight. Digging around today, I noted damp snow in the bottom third of the snow pit.
Minor loose sluffing on steeper slopes and these did not travel far.
Stayed with moderate hazard for today, but generally felt conditions were in the low range. Should be a week of changing weather and avalanche hazard with rain and heavy wet snow possible.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate