Observation: Manns Peak

Observation Date

12/7/2025

Observer Name

Trenbeath

Region

Moab » Manns Peak

Location Name or Route

Manns Glades

Weather

Sky

Few

Wind Direction

Northwest

Wind Speed

Moderate

Weather Comments

Cool, mostly clear day in the mountains with light to moderate northwesterly winds. A nice reprieve after yesterday's cloudy, northwest wind event.

Snow Characteristics

Snow Surface Conditions

Powder

Dense Loose

Wind Crust

Snow Characteristics Comments

The snow surface definitely took a hit from the northwest wind event yesterday. Open areas were wind crusted or sastrugied, while the highest peaks were scoured down to the rocks in many areas. Below tree line, soft snow could still be found in sheltered areas but overall coverage remains thin, between 16-24 inches with numbers on the lower end on southerly aspects.

Wind affected snow in an open area well below tree line at around 10,200'.

Wind affected snow above tree line along a ridge crest at 11,600' with scouring on a westerly aspect.

Scoured north and northwest facing slopes above tree line.

Soft snow in sheltered terrain.

Red Flags

Wind Loading

Collapsing

Poor Snowpack Structure

Red Flags Comments

The red flags weren't super red. I observed wind loaded areas in the high country but didn't find widespread distribution in my travels. Drifted areas appeared to be most prevalent above treeline on SE-E aspects. I had a few isolated collapses where stiff slabs were sitting on top of weak, faceted snow. These encompassed very small areas. Snowpack structure is poor. The Nov 16-19 snowfall has pretty much completely faceted through on all aspects that I looked at today (S-SE-E). Snow from Nov 30 has settled into a cohesive slab of approximately 4f- density.

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Wind Drifted Snow

Problem #1 Comments

Although I observed drifted areas in the high country, I didn't find wind slabs to be sensitive today near tree line or below today. I expect recently formed slabs will stabilize fairly quickly and will soon become part of the persistent weak layer problem.

Recent drifting on a SE aspect on peak in the background.

Avalanche Problem #2

Problem

Persistent Weak Layer

Trend

Decreasing Danger

Problem #2 Comments

Our overall poor snowpack structure is indicative of a nascent persistent weak layer problem. Weak, faceted snow exists on all aspects and an overriding soft slab exists with varying degrees of reactivity. I scored an ECTP12 with failure at the ground on a SE aspect but I had to cut through a very stout melt-freeze crust which makes the result suspect. I scored and ECTP12 on an east aspect with a much thinner crust, and failure at the top of the faceted layer. This seems more indicative of the sensitivity. The overall shallow nature of the snowpack and lack of connectivity calls to mind "small avalanches are possible on isolated terrain features" nevertheless, it's hard to ignore the structure and propagating test results. If we were to receive another load, we would certainly have problems, particularly on slopes facing the north half of the compass, but for now they seem spotty. And with the coming weather forecast, it appears we will trend toward more stable conditions and a weakening snowpack.