Observation Date
3/21/2023
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas » Whitney Basin
Location Name or Route
Whitney Basin/Humpy Creek
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
South
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Temps in the teens this morning at the trailhead with calm winds down low and just some thin high clouds for most of the morning and early afternoon. Winds on the ridge lines were light to moderate in speed from a south direction blowing some snow around with clouds getting thicker throughout the afternoon.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
8"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
A nice little storm for the north slope with only a couple inches at the trail head, but out in Whitney Basin I was finding anywhere from 6-8" with some of that getting blown around into deeper drifts. The exposed ridge lines were pretty worked by winds, but nice medium density snow helped to fill in most old tracks once you got off the ridge tops.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Red Flags Comments
Shallow soft and wind drifted snow was fairly sensitive along the ridge lines, although these were quite shallow where I poked around. I could imagine some of these drifts to get a little more connected and deeper on steeper terrain.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
The winds should be on the increase as the next storm approaches and the wind drifted snow issue will become more wide spread and deeper.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Another shot of snow the next few days which should increase the new snow problem with soft slabs both natural and human triggered possible.
Comments
Just a couple inches new snow around the trail head and up the highway a few miles with generally 6-8" in the higher terrain.
I took this photo over the weekend near Whitney Res. and was amazed how much snow there is out there right now. This area does get some winds blowing down the drainage so it could be a little deeper than the true snow depth.
I was finding these shallow soft slabs on the north facing slopes along the ridge lines to be a little sensitive, but once you got down off the ridges this issue was not a problem.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates
