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Observation: Middle Cirque

Observation Date
12/17/2024
Observer Name
Garcia
Region
Moab » Gold Basin » Middle Cirque
Location Name or Route
Middle Cirque, Golden Throne
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Travel was on the shady slopes and Light to Moderate NW winds made it feel cold out there today. No snow transport associated with the winds.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
In the trees and valley bottoms, the snow is mostly faceted loose. The long dry spell continues to weaken the snow surface, and in many places, the entire snowpack. Alpine terrain was mostly wind crust, with the occasional soft turn in shallow, wind-broken particles.
Mid-Elevation glades are showing signs of the recent wind event and a lack of new snow. Notice all the debris on the snow surface.
Solar aspects have been worked by three weeks of sunshine and recent strong Southerly winds.
The snow surface in much of the alpine is a scoured mess
Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Poor snowpack structure remains. However, the slab continues to weaken and facet. Some pits show the basal facets gaining some hardness. In recent pits, the slab falls apart when trying to pull the column out after stability tests, a sign that it is losing cohesion. Many slopes NTL and BTL are becoming faceted top to bottom, and boot pen is to the ground. Slopes that have seen some wind drifting have more body to the snowpack and overall greater HS.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
I got ECTX in both pits today. It has been a long time since we have seen results in our pits. My trip to the alpine confirms that human-triggered avalanches are becoming increasingly unlikely. I probed between 65-90 cm of snow as I traveled up the lower aprons of Middle Cirque. My pit from the aprons consists of mostly faceted layers with a couple of wind crusts mixed in.
Faceted crystals make up the base of the pack.
The pit below is from the bowl at the top of the "Middle Cique Glades" As I traveled up the Glades, the height of snow averaged 60cm, and was weak and faceted. The open bowl at the top had seen some previous wind loading. It seemed like a good analog for the alpine terrain above it.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates