Observation: Gold Basin

Observation Date

4/3/2025

Observer Name

Nauman, Benson

Region

Moab » Gold Basin

Location Name or Route

Goldminers zone to Funnel

Weather

Sky

Obscured

Precipitation

Moderate Snowfall

Wind Direction

Southwest

Wind Speed

Moderate

Weather Comments

It snowed most of the day picking up mid-morning with about 3-4" accumulating while we were out touring (9a-3p). The wind was pretty strong on the ridgelines, but relatively easy to get out of if you stepped out of the most exposed positions. Seemed like mostly a southwest wind, but it was a bit chaotic at times.

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Depth

New Snow Density

Medium

Snow Surface Conditions

Powder

Melt-Freeze Crust

Snow Characteristics Comments

It was pretty much full blower today once you got out of the wind affected zone on the high ridgel lines. Probably closer to a foot of new snow at timberline, but there was also lots of wind transport so difficult to tell at times. There were still some areas where old icy frozen snow had been exposed by the wind on exposed positions. There is just enough snow to hide many rocks and obstacles on solar aspects that have fully melted out - can be pretty hazardous.

Red Flags

Heavy Snowfall

Wind Loading

Cracking

Red Flags Comments

There was significant wind transport and wind slabs were building in many locations, but were mostly isolated. We observed some larger cracking along the Laurel ridgeline where wind was the most intense. However, we got some cracking in the first Laurel chute and on the left side of Goldminers. These cracks didn't shoot out more than 3 or 4 feet, but were noticeable where the wind had started consolidating snow into slabs. This was particularly evident in concave features where snow was being deposited by wind. The old snow on solar aspects was very strong.

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Wind Drifted Snow

Trend

Increasing Danger

Problem #1 Comments

Wind drifts will continue to grow and be potentially reactive until the weather shifts. Although we got some cracking on wind affected snow, nothing that propagated out far enough to be worrisome. If you were skiing tight, steep terrain, small (5-10') soft slabs would probably pull out into a more sluff-like slide. We had some semi-blocky sluffing in the Funnel while we skied it, but all very manageable. The one larger crack we saw (20-30') on the ridgeline was a much harder slab. There is plenty of snow for transport and it does seem the moderate density is making it set up into reactive slabs relatively fast if we get the wind energy to form them. Tomorrow will be a heads up day to see if/how much this problem increases.

Avalanche Problem #2

Problem

Persistent Weak Layer

Trend

Same

Problem #2 Comments

We could still feel the facets down there on north aspects with pole probing.

Comments

Fun, but slightly slabby snow filled in by the wind in a small concavity we skied. Some big snow flakes!

Touring was a little awkward on solar aspects with a slippery old snow surface underneath the new snow.

Today's Observed Danger Rating

Moderate

Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating

Moderate

Coordinates

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