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Observation Date
1/17/2017
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas » Mirror Lake Highway » Bald Mountain
Location Name or Route
Mirror Lake, Bald Mt.
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northeast
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Clear skies, mild temperatures in the sun and cool in the shade. No winds in lower terrain and light wind on the highest ridges.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Quite nice settled powder conditions, with loose surface hoar and faceted surface snow pretty widespread.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Red Flags Comments
The higher elevations around Bald Mt. have been getting just enough wind to create some isolated wind slabs. These were a little sensitive when I would approach with sled and skis. The weak surface snow that has been developing from the clear days and nights were making these 10~12" wind slabs easy to crack.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Pretty isolated to the higher terrain where the winds have been blowing just enough to created some somewhat sensitive shallow wind slabs. I was finding these on northeast facing slopes.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
No recent avalanche activity that has broken into buried weak layers. My thought is in this higher elevation terrain around Bald Mt., a person might be able to trigger a small wind slab and this could break into a more deeper slide as it travels down slope.
Comments
1. The surface snow continues to grow weak with clear days and nights. 2. I was amazed at how white and filled in the Uintas are. Bald Mt. is solid snow, top to bottom. 3. Can't remember how long it has been since the Mirror Lk Guard Station had this much snow on the roof. 4. There should be a weather station under this bump in the snow.
A nice solid deep snow pack around Mirror Lake, with well over 10' of snow on the ground.
1. On this east side of Bald Mt, there was some recent natural wind slabs that have released. Not overly deep, but quite hard dense snow and enough to knock a person off their sled, board or skis.
On this small safe slope I was able to crack out some sensitive 10~12" deep wind slabs, that are sitting on weak faceted snow that has developed from the clear days and nights. I'm thinking generally a low hazard, but with the possibility of an isolated wind slab in high wind effected terrain. These could break into deeper snow.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low