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Observation: Millcreek

Observation Date
1/23/2015
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas » Millcreek
Location Name or Route
Mill Creek
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Mostly cloudy skies with some sunshine, but by the early afternoon light snowfall with only an inch or two of accumulation at the higher elevations.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
1"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Although the snow cover is somewhat thin on the east side, the riding and turning conditions are not too bad. There is dense settled powder in protected areas, but the high exposed terrain is pretty wind hammered.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
As is often the case on the east side of the north slope, the snow cover is thinner than what you find on the western end of the range. The snow pack here has more developed weak faceted snow both near the ground and in the middle of the snow pack.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Not a real issue today in my travels, although there was light winds from the southwest that was drifting the loose surface snow around. This problem is more likely found along the exposed ridge lines.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
The snow pack seems mostly stable right now, but places like Mill Creek and other thin snow pack areas would be places where a slide could be tiggered.
Comments
Riding up the Mill Creek drainage and through the burn from 2002, the coverage looks ok, but a lot of hidden hazards are still out there. The snow quality is not too bad in areas that are protected from the wind with dense settled powder and a mostly supportable base to ride on.
The snow pack here on the east side has more developed weak faceted snow both near the ground and in the middle of the snow pack. I was able to get a fracture to propagate across this column but there was no energy in the slab above. The weakest snow continues to be around the middle of the snow pack where the saw is in the photo.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate