UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!

Observation: Uintas

Observation Date
11/29/2019
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas
Location Name or Route
Hwy 150
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
New snow and wind has added enough weight now to overload the weak sugary snow near the ground. I observed both natural and human triggered small slides just along hwy 150. Some of these are breaking at the ground and others are breaking on the old surface snow. Conditions were very unstable today with numerous loud collapses and shooting cracks. All red flags to very unstable conditions.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
The new snow and wind is now enough to overload the weak snow near the ground. The storm totals are around a foot and a half bringing the snow depth to about 2.5'
Comments
The snow pack was very reactive today with numerous small slides on road cuts while traveling along Hwy150. These were easily triggered by riders not even getting off the road. Conditions were very sensitive with lots of loud collapses and many shooting cracks all along the road cuts. Some of the slides were breaking at the old snow surface where light density snow and possibly some preserved surface hoar did not get disturbed by the winds. In other places there was enough weight to break through the old snow surface into the old weak sugary snow.
Getting around has improved a lot, but still playing it safe and not getting too far off the roads.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
High
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High
Coordinates