UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!

Observation: Moab

Observation Date
12/11/2019
Observer Name
Colin Vogel
Region
Moab
Location Name or Route
N-NE Face of Pre Laurel
Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Normal Caution
Problem #1 Comments
Today my touring partner Dillon and I dug a pit on a N-NE 35 degree face at 10,350ft around 1225. Skys were overcast with no wind or no precip. In this area we found the typical sugar on the ground but failed to create any slides on that layer. Our strength test are as follows 0-25cm: 1 Finger // 25-45cm Pencil // 45-55cm Pencil // 55-65cm: 4 Finger // 65-72cm: 1 Finger // 72-94cm: 1 Finger // 95-105cm: 4 Finger // 105-115cm Fist. During our compression test results are as follows: 6 taps for a Non-Planar break on the top rounded facet layer, no energy or propagation. 17 Taps produced another Non-Planar break with no energy on the 94-105cm layer. Even with a pry test we didnt get any major failures. With an extended column test we had similar results; 13 taps produced another Non-Planar break on the top rounded facets. At 25 taps there was a Non-Planar break at the same 94-105cm layer. During a pry test after 30 taps we observed a resistant planar slide propagating across the entire column at the 55-65cm layer. Nothing to really be super alarmed of at the moment but with a new snow storm possibly coming in there could be heightened dangers on northern shady slopes where these styrofoam ball looking snow crystals have formed a 10cm layer. (Forecaster note: Styrofoam ball or round snow crystals in the top 10 cm of the snowpack sound like graupel which came during the frontal passage of Sunday's storm).
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low