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Observation: Soapstone/North Slope

Observation Date
2/13/2022
Observer Name
Brackelsberg
Region
Uintas » Soapstone/North Slope
Location Name or Route
North Slope
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
A beautiful day in the mountains. Cold morning (low teens) warming to high 20s. There was a moderate NW wind at upper elevations.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Snow ranged from 4-8" of facted loose surface snow to breakable wind crust to supportable wind crust.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
The depth of surface facets and locations with a wind crust on top of facets concerns me when a load is added to this snowpack.
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northwest
Elevation
10,200'
Comments
It was a quiet day in the mountains. Only 2 trailers at Soapstone at 8:30AM plus a Subaru that thought they could drive around the road gate. In all of our travels, we only saw 4 other sleds. A sign of either Super Bowl Sunday or 5 weeks since the last snowfall.
We were able to find areas of good snow in protected northerly aspects. High, exposed terrain was either blow clean or wind board.
The included video was 3 snow surfaces that we encounter without 50M of travel. We found similar conditions all along our travels.
We were able to trigger some small wind slabs on steeper terrain. These did not travel far nor did then entrain much snow.
Video
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates