Observation: Upper Weber Canyon

Observation Date
1/17/2021
Observer Name
Manship, Gordon, Nassetta
Region
Uintas » Upper Weber Canyon
Location Name or Route
Upper Weber Canyon
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Weather was sunny warm and calm through the morning. Around mid day winds picked up bring cloud cover. No precipitation, just clouds moving over heads not touching the mountains.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Snowpack ranged in depths from very shallow to over a meter in wind loaded areas. We found faceting throughout the entire snowpack on N-SE. In some areas there is some slab and structure but generally felt like a sandbox of the weak facets on these aspects.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #1 Comments
On slopes where the November crust is still present around 35-40cm up from the ground we could see collapsing and potential propagation. However on some slopes this crust has fully decomposed and we will need an additional load of water weight on top to see connected avalanches.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Problem #2 Comments
There could be potential for wind loaded pockets on leeward slopes in certain areas.
Snow Profile
Comments
It was a beautiful day in the Western Uintas. Touring in Upper Weber Canyon started with very minimal snow at lower elevations, solar aspects where basically bare. Moving into the mid and upper elevations coverage on W-SE was adequate to make some turns; however, the snow was faceted though out the entire snow pack on most aspects we touched, that where not solar. The skiing was was like trying to run through knee deep water, who would have thought a few feet of dry untracked snow would be so hard! Many areas that may have had a bit of a cohesive slab have since faceted out leaving little structure. We did note he November crust around 30-40cm up from the ground that has likely contributed to the recent collapses people have been experiencing. There where some good turns here and there where the slab in the upper snow pack still existed.
Due to the loss of structure in the snowpack from faceting,avalanches may be more difficult to trigger. But the weak snow is there in full force and I would suspect it will become a much bigger problem if we add more snow on top.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate