Snowpack

Observation: Mirror Lake Highway

Ted ScrogginUintas
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Quick report

Red Flags
Wind Loading, Cracking
Red Flags Comment
<p>As is often the case in the higher terrain around Bald Mt. the winds have been blowing and moving snow around. Many of the north through east facing slopes were wind loaded from the southwest winds last week and now today's northwest winds were depositing snow onto east and southeast facing slopes, creating fresh soft wind slabs breaking up to a foot and a half deep on the high exposed ridge lines. </p>

Fresh soft wind slabs along the high exposed ridge lines on southeast facing slopes were being formed today with gusty northwest winds. Some of these were breaking up to a foot and a half deep.

Snowpack

Instability Comment
<p>In the high terrain today, the winds were creating fresh soft wind slabs on east through southeast facing slopes. Some of these were approaching the unmanageable size breaking a foot and a half deep. These could get out of hand on steep and unforgiving terrain.</p> <p>The Uintas are a huge area and many areas that have a thinner snow cover and rocky conditions are still likely areas where a deep avalanche can be triggered. </p>

About 3-4" new at the trailhead and upwards of 6-8" around the Bald Mt. area and maybe another couple of inches fell throughout the day. The high Uintas have really filled-in and things are white. However, the winds have been all over the place, last weeks very strong southwest winds and today's northwest winds have worked over the high terrain. Very nice riding and turning conditions can be found in sheltered areas with a very supportable base.