Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading
Started from Aspen Grove at 7:15. Followed the existing skin track partway up the middle bowl at UFO, then continued setting the track up the remainder of the bowl.
We decided to turn around about 200 feet shy of the summit (elevation ~10,000'). The snow started to feel slabby underfoot and was starting to warm as well. We observed a small wet slide from a day or two previously that encouraged us to make our way back down the mountain.
In hindsight, our route up the bowl wasn't the smartest. Better route finding may have led us up the shady, protected side of the bowl, which wasn't sun-affected and didn't seem to be as wind loaded.
Pictures: Wet slide, middle UFO bowl.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Found moderate wind-affected snow at the upper elevations of UFO Bowls above ~9500 feet. </p> <p>Sun affected slopes were crusty. We observed a small wet slide near the top of the middle bowl that probably went off in the last few days. </p>