UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!

Observation: Mirror Lake Highway

Observation Date
4/18/2019
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas » Mirror Lake Highway
Location Name or Route
Hwy 150/Whiskey Creek
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Northeast
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Clear sunny day and quite warm temperatures as the day went on, might be the warmest day this season.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Just a shallow re-freeze this morning and the snow quickly softened with wet sluffs that were easily initiated on east and south facing slopes. Nice dense settled dry snow on the high north aspects, but the high angle and warm sun was quickly changing conditions.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Comments
1. A "scratcher" morning with hard frozen tracks that quickly softened around mid-morning. 2. Looking out towards the Lofty and Mt. Marsell ridge line, there should be some great spring adventures with a nice deep snow pack.
1. Up until today, the wet activity has been pretty minimal with some roller balls and shallow sluffs coming off heated rocks. Today and tomorrow should see more wet unstable snow with very warm day time temperatures. 2. I was finding a shallow wind skin on northwest facing terrain, this was cracking somewhat easily on the small amount of new snow on Tuesday.
1. Still amazed how deep the snow pack is, this slope is usually a rock garden and it is stuffed right now with snow. 2. At some of the lower elevations, cornices have finally warmed enough to collapse and come crashing down.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates