Quick report
- Aspect
- Southeast
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Heavy Snowfall, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 3018 m
- Slope Angle
- 34°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>The poor snowpack structure has me backing off many of my favorite slopes. Mainly speaking of the NSF above a crust being the most concerning. This seems to be the trouble layer.... </p>
The human factor was in full force today when I looked at the steeper more northerly terrain. I wanted to to drop in so bad, it looked so good and so deep. The sun was poking through the clouds and that slope looked amazing, the drool was coming out of our mouths.
However, because of the poor snow pack structure, recent avalanches, recent load, danger rating at considerable, we decided to just look and stare from the safety of the ridge and we told ourselves we will be back when there isn't a prominent weak layer in the snow pack.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The layer of most concern seems to be the weak faceted snow just above a heat crust from the early December warm up.</p> <p>I remember running with Bruce Tremper in shorts and t-shirts behind the university on December 9th with a high of 60 degrees. This is when that crust was most likely formed, then we received a storm thereafter that brought low density stellar snow that faceted very quickly (Dec 14-15). Then on the Dec 21st-22nd this layer was buried and preserved throughout most of the range. This layer has been the culprit in almost all of the recent avalanches reported to the UAC in the past couple of days.</p> <p>The crust in this location is likely a wind slab crust combo that formed on December 11th due to a wind event. It was the same wind event that led to a catch and carry in "Mongo No" in Mineral Fork earlier this year.</p> <p>This problem layer is now buried pretty deep in the Central Wasatch, stubborn but reactive when you find the right spot. </p>
Amazing riding today on all aspects.