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Observation: Miller Flat

Observation Date
1/2/2015
Observer Name
Darce Trotter/Steve Cote
Region
Skyline » Huntington Canyon » Left Fork Huntington Canyon » Miller Flat
Location Name or Route
Big Meadow
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Inversion is setting up, warming temps at elevation, winds have abated, worlds away from two days ago as high pressure takes over. Too bad the damage is already done
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

Cleared board at Miller Flats, interval has 10 cm of settled snow from Sunday through Wednesday period last week. 90 cm settled snow on total stake. Great spatial variation in depth as video later will show, and to state the obvious, thick strong pack in places, shallow weak and weakening in others. Surface conditions in more exposed area have wind skin 1"- 2" but we were able to avoid more wind affected snow by staying just down off ridgetops. No new activity noted in our travels today, Sheltered glade skiing on N end of compass is still holding 8" of recyrstalized powder that makes even low angle slopes a lot of fun.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
East winds have loaded SW through W slopes, but approaches at ridgetops are rough sastrugi, and pockety nature of distribution including crossload make for a complicated picture.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments

Pockety hard slab although no widespead, cannot be overlooked, each slope/pocket needs to be evaluated due to long period of sustained high winds loading, but are more stubborn by the day, and eventually pack will adjust

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Problem #2 Comments

In thin rocky areas, we found 5'+ to < 2' in a 15 foot distance, and as Bruce remarked about the Central Wasatch, "good luck figuring that out" without poking into the snow every 10 feet or so. This is where having a history and mental picture of coverage can really help, We could be back in the persistent slab neighborhood because the thin pack will not strengthen but weaken over time and when it snows again, expect a cycle in this type of terrain

Snow Profile
Aspect
East
Elevation
9,700'
Slope Angle
26°
Comments

Total stake at Miller Flat

Skiing and riding conditions are excellent, we were joined at the top of the Big Meadow by one talented rider that had followed our uptrack from the bottom of the drainage. Too bad the others in his party got stuck in timber below us, but machines are able to access most terrain on the N/E and even S aspects with supportable base. Many slopes have multiple high marks with no activity seen, all but the most exteme terrain has been tested without incident

Highly variable depths and strengths

Video

we purposely sought out a thinner area, E facing, and as you would suppose, here are the ECT results, with more weather and snow, would expect this layer, while not widespread, to be problematic while other areas could easily support more load and issue will be new snow/ old snow interface. Sure wish we have weather on the horizon instead of high pressure and inversions, but will take the sunshine.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates