Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation NEW - Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills On-Snow Courses Resources and Tutorials
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation: Brianhead Backcountry

Observation Date
12/13/2023
Observer Name
Ian Dempsey
Region
Southwest » Brian Head Backcountry
Location Name or Route
Brian Head Bacountet
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Temps just below freezing, clear skies, a bit of a smog layer in the Cedar Valley with the high pressure … temps almost isothermic from the valley to the mountains, only about a 5 degree drop at 10600 feet.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Surface conditions run the gamut from sugary facets in sheltered north facing areas to wind crust to melt-freeze crust with lots of bare ground in places. The primary snow surface was wind crust/wind affected with a breakable crust of varying densities and strengths (ie sometimes punchy and sometimes able to support body weight).
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
1 - In isolated leeward areas there may be wind loading going on. 2 - An epic setup for a poor *future* snowpack structure with 40 cm of faceted snow in sheltered terrain.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
There may be isolated pockets of wind drifted snow. My guess is these are most likely on southeast facing slopes.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Normal Caution
Trend
Same
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northeast
Elevation
10,600'
Slope Angle
15°
Comments
Skiing conditions are poor with sheltered areas harboring a thin layer (40cm) of fun sugary snow barely covering up all rocks and logs. On all other areas it's wind hammered sastrugi, punchy wind and sun crust, and bare ground.
The sheltered areas harboring that soft sugary faceted snow are something to look out for when the snow falls again as it is a bad foundation. These areas are primarily east/north/west facing.
Video
Above photo shows some of the 1-2 mm faceted grains from my snowpit.
Oof. Things are in a sad state at the moment. The entirety of my snowpit is sugary facets!!
A west facing hellscape.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates