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Observation: Bald Mtn Pass

Observation Date
2/14/2017
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas » Mirror Lake Highway » Bald Mtn Pass
Location Name or Route
Bald Mt. Mirror Lake, Murdock Peak
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northeast
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Great mid winter weather, with cool mornings, mild temps in the sun and light northeast winds.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
It's getting that time of year with the sun higher in the sky, warmer temperatures and a nice deep snow pack that is mostly stable.
Red Flags
Red Flags Comments
No red flags checked today. A few dry loose sluffs in steep terrain, one cornice collapse, but generally very nice rididing and turning conditions on dense settled powder.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Dry loose sluffs likely continuing with this stretch of clear days and nights, limited to the steeper shady aspects.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Conditions have really settled out, but traveling around the higher terrain today a person could still find an isolated wind slab in the more exposed windy areas.
Comments
Pretty amazing how much snow has been piling up and the Mirror Lake Guard Station is nearly just a hump of snow. The weather station up there is going to need a longer mast to keep the instruments out of the snow.
Not much going on in the snowpack where I traveled in and around the Bald mountain area. A nice increasing density down through the snow pack.
Spotted this slide around Murdock Peak, looks like a piece of cornice broke off high on the ridge line and entrained some surface snow as it moved downhill. Some dry loose sluffs coming off of Reid's Peak.
Great day to be up high checking out how white the Uintas are.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low