Snowpack

Observation: Uintas

BrackelsbergUintas
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Observation photo 1

Quick report

Aspect
Northeast
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Elevation
3048 m
Slope Angle
30°
Red Flags Comment
<p>Biggest red flag was the wide range of aspects affected by the warm temperatures. </p> <p>The steep, shaded aspects had plenty of sloughing.</p>
  • While my CT results were negative, it took very little pressure to pull the entire column down
  • The rain crust was prevalent up to about 9400'
  • There was graupel about 5cm under the snow surface on the east facing elevation we climbed
  • A hand pit at 8200' east facing had a sun(?) crust about 20 cm down. Facets were beginning to form beneath this crust due to the large temperature gradient it was mostly likely creating.
  • Significant sloughing of the new snow on the steep NE aspects. This was running on a dense surface from prior to the storm.

Snowpack

Instability Comment
<p>There were plenty of rollers balls after around 1PM. There were also several natural wet slides observed on SW aspects.</p> <p>While buried ~115cm down and less likely to be triggered by a skier, there is still 30 cm of facets on the ground. This could be enough for the weight of a sled to trigger.</p>

The snow conditions ran the gamut today. Not much to say other than if the snow isn't good, change aspect by just a few degrees and find something else.