Quick report
- Aspect
- West
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 3292 m
- Slope Angle
- 20°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Some wind loading on east aspects, soft wind slabs up to 6". Some areas of denser wind deposited snow. Some of the wind slabs were hard to isolate. I would assume that there are more of these in the alpine. Poor snow pack structure on all aspects. </p>
HS - 24" , basal facets are 6" deep and loose, see photo below. suncrust (knife hard, supportable) on top of facets with 18" from last 2 storms.
ECTP15 Q3 at base of crust.
The crust is the only reason I was able to ski in this area.
Photo below: facets.
Photos below:
1. Pit on NW aspect just north of the Eagle Point boundary, HS - 24" 8" of facets sitting below 1 finger crust (wind/warm?) two ECT's, ECTP15 Q3 below crust, and ECTN.
2. Facets.
Photo below: Thin cover bush skiing sprag for a certain UDOT forecaster......
If anyone wants to get in touch with me about snow/avalanche questions in SW Utah, I can be reached at [email protected]. I would be happy to walk anyone through the observation process. All observations are appreciated.
Overall the hazard is hard to estimate. I did not see many active, in your face red flags such as cracking and collapsing, but the new snow sitting on top of a weak snow pack combined with ECTP's had me traveling as if it was considerable hazard day. My estimate would be considerable.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Storm slab sitting on top of a weak snow pack.</p> <p>Wind slabs in loaded areas such as east aspects.</p>
HST - 14", light snow.