Wasatch Conditions 09-10

[Wolfmansbro]

Went up for a short tour to Catherine's pass on saturday. Dropped into rocky point area and skied some of the lower angle stuff. Noticed lots of cracking from skiing and doing ski cuts. Some slabs created that only moved a couple of inches. Nothing was really moving on angles lower then 30 degrees, but some small (less then 6 inches deep) soft slabs created on steeper north facing slopes. One small sluff slide that ran maybe 50 feet. And one larger Soft slab went naturally that was most likely created from wind deposits over the ridge. looks like it started on a somewhat lower angle ridge that rolled over into a steeper chute.
Lots of variable snow conditions out there, i would expect a lot of natural activity today due to the increase in snow pack.

[Trackhead]

I didn't ski yesterday, but judging from yesterdays reports and photos, it would seem things are a bit better today.

Went up here alone this morning.


Poked some holes in the snow on a safe north facing slope. While digging the pit, the slope collapsed. Dug two pits. First was a R-block of sorts with it failing when approaching. The second was an extended column with both failing and pulling out on the new/old snow interface after 5 from the wrist.


Continued on up the drainage below the first slide path. Upon entering the meadow below it, the field gave the ass puckering "whooomph!". Took the long way around cause I'm old and skeered. Finally met up with someone else out solo.




Fun day. The snow is settled out enough to make trail breaking an average effort. Plenty of speed with fat skis to make nice turns and stay alive doing so.

[SPREAD EAGLE]

Walked up here

Plans for the day - Look around and get some skiing

As others have mentioned it was noisy under the snow - I ran into some Whoompfa Loompfa's (consolidations) and they were singing "Whoompfa Loompfa Doopity Doop" that ran on flats and low angles for up to 200 feet. Trees and bushes far away would start to rattle at times. Two people on the B-Fork skinner took an about face and told me of their tales. I decided to venture on for the XC exercise, those whoompfs were only found to be on the flats and low angle terrain. Nothing was heard or seen on slopes rated above 35 degrees, although they may have been there.

Lots of Snow but not so much here (first descent of the day) SW and 30 deg.


Continued on up to the ridge seperating BCC and Millcreek and found the culprits of the storm - NE!!


Naturals up to 135cm off the ridge from wind loading and weak layers on N, and NE at 9,500 - 10,000ft. (not a pit, those are cracks)


E of summit found this in the valley floor (if you can't see there are huge cracks and debris here, and not from the surrounding peaks)


Made my way down the drainage all the way to HWY 190. Thanks to a few moose whom left a post hole trail (5' deep) that helped out a lonely hobbit out on a tour. I stayed on skis but with warming this week it may not be possible.

Skiing was GOOD, and someone should tackle the peak in the second image. It is a GO HOUSTON!!!

[Boissal]

someone should tackle the peak in the second image. It is a GO HOUSTON!!!

Might want to leave that one alone for a bit, it's just a big old rock slab and the ride wouldn't be pretty...

[Trackhead]

Stable conditions and good skiing on south and south west aspects today.

Only dug one pit at around 10k on SW aspect. New snow then just a few inches of faceted old snow on the rocks.


Snow was great early.




Then got a little creamy as the sun got higher.

[SPREAD EAGLE]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SPREAD EAGLE
someone should tackle the peak in the second image. It is a GO HOUSTON!!!

Might want to leave that one alone for a bit, it's just a big old rock slab and the ride wouldn't be pretty...

per boisal

Hey brotha - the observation was in person - you been up there lately? True East face and it is ready to be shralped - May bag it later in the week as it was looking pretty, I would have taken the plunge but time was NOT on my side.

[truth]

Some shots from the Alta lot:

Thought this was an interesting choice this morning...


It didn't even look remotely fun on their way down...


These turns looked delish...


This would have been most un-fun...


I just liked the lines of shadow and ridge here.

[smuggs]

headed up.

AMAZING SUNRISE TODAY

the final push

emma three ( i think) how you say epic?

no instabilities. saw a few small fractures that were from the storm that just trickled into gullies on the SE side.
i am now after this morning 100% ANTI FLAGSTAFF LIFT. FUCK U ALTA BAD IDEA. (see you tomorrow)

[Boissal]

Hey brotha - the observation was in person - you been up there lately? True East face and it is ready to be shralped - May bag it later in the week as it was looking pretty, I would have taken the plunge but time was NOT on my side.

Do it. Be safe. Report back.
Too early for me, I don't have the sack or the will at this point.

[MrDirt]

Beautiful photos, guys!

[yemntftb]

anyone been been up to rocky point/catherines area yet and can report on avy activity and instabilities? Its been rumored that supreme will open soon at alta, thus providing ample access to those areas which are probably super unstable. Any thoughts?

[Weird_in_the_Wasatch]

SW facing LCC 10,000' still skiing good this morning. Some whoomphing noted from the ridge on North slopes. Snowy-blowy, no pics...next time I'll bring the camera.

[Trackhead]

Skinned up Flag to DaZe Fork. One person in our party skied north facing into days next to a huge cornice drop/sluff. He then skied out without incident. Two others dropped N. Facing into day with the same results.

Days Fork slide on the eastern edge of the drainage.


After this we went to ski Silver Fork, knowing that the dickheads at Solitude will probably soon have a lift in there. The snow was hero, atypical Wasatch, dense, fun, fast pow. We stayed only on east aspects.




A big fuck you to Solitude.






Crowded today.


Good turns, literally to the car. The sun softened the sun crust that had developed from yesterday.

[TeleThor]

Post is a little late as I didn't get around to it yesterday. NE-facing trees held dense but fast snow, but had to dodge the brush (should've gone to higher elevations in retrospect, but it was more of an exploratory day).


Explored more NWish and found freshly devoured meat and evidence of some small naturals (?). You can see someone's tracks going through/over the debris, so not the trigger. Following photos courtesy of myskishaveboobs.




Observed some wooomphing in the flats and low angled areas. Not on steeper slopes. Sun came out strong around 10:30-11 AM and south facing stuff got cooked. Wet and sloppy. Roller balls galore. No other instabilities noted. Travel between 7000 and 9500 ft.

[rconstan]

Skied east facing 9.5K-10K this morning. Snow was dense and fast with a thin layer of recrystallized snow on top. Much of the same, dropping just off the ridge resulted in a large "whoomph" and shooting cracks in the snow as has been commonplace over the last 6 days. Didn't measure the slope angle, but it was around 35 +/-. Backed off of our initial drop in point, retreating to a lower angled slope. Nice morning and good skiing. Keep paying attention out there.

[Trackhead]

Great skiing on NW aspects, not so good on south aspects.

[Long Duck Dong]

Found conditions to be firm on this particular north facing aspect.



Great White Icicle is super fat for this early season, but the warm temps are a little threatening.



The top-out is getting eroded from constant water rushing underneath it.



Anything to get out of the inversion soup.

[MultiVerse]

Not much to say other than another bluebird day in the Wasatch skiing packed creamy pow. Took note of the avie report and skied safer aspects in sheltered areas but still saw the remains of a slide that let loose above an exposed chute, obliterating an existing skintrack in the trees below, so agreed, "the warm temps are a little threatening."

[Trackhead]

Took note of the avie report and skied safer aspects in sheltered areas but still saw the remains of a slide that let loose above an exposed chute, obliterating an existing skintrack in the trees below, so agreed, "the warm temps are a little threatening."

Where was this?

[MultiVerse]

Where was this?

LCC, by Patsy M, on a quick escape the inversion tour.

[Trackhead]

LCC, by Patsy M, on a quick escape the inversion tour.

Was it the steep skinner in Michigan City that leaves the cat track going to Grizzly Gulch?

[MultiVerse]

Was it the steep skinner in Michigan City that leaves the cat track going to Grizzly Gulch?

Yes, that area. The thought occurred to me that maybe it was the result of control work but I couldn't see the top of the chute and I didn't see any powder residue or maybe someone tried to ski it.

[Trackhead]

Yes, that area. The thought occurred to me that maybe it was the result of control work but I couldn't see the top of the chute and I didn't see any powder residue or maybe someone tried to ski it.

Thanks. I was curious because I skinned past that area and going wide on monday and tuesday. I saw the skinner up through the trees to the ridge. I find it interesting that it slid out 4-5 days later. I guess the skinner got whacked by something coming off of steeper terrain above.

[mph]

Was up in White Pine today...Skied north facing shots...Nothing major to report. There were cracks in the snow but it seemed likes those were nothing recent...probably a couple of days old. Skied everything up to 45 degrees...that was short-lived and the mellower stuff had creamy pow

[skifishbum]

Skied a shot of tlp ridge after sending down a dope on a rope to dig a pit
N. NE. colapsed and fractured but didn't release on 3rd jump. Pit= 28" conslidated 4 finger slab on 12" of fist facets on top of a pencil crust with
18" of facets to ground. Failing ct 2-3 q2 on old new snow interface

N facing Davenport similiar but more positive pit results. Several large collapses on flats exiting Silly Fork