Wasatch Conditions 10-11

[Trackhead]

E-S-W aspects had a supportable crust that corned up, though much later than we guessed yesterday. W-N-E aspects had a breakable crust over several feet of soft snow.

Maybe in a week or two we should try that line on Timp you/we have been looking at. Seems like the snowpack needs more time to get iso first.

[The Gnarwhale]

Yup. Wouldn't have happened yesterday. No refreeze forecasted for the next two nights should be a good first step towards a layerless snowpack.

[sethdromgoole]

Gnarwhale, how were the cornices getting into that line? I was there 2 weeks ago and couldn't see over the edge and since I had a bus size break at my feet I was walking over Cascade Cirque I didn't dare blindly step out above that ridge.

[The Gnarwhale]

No cornice at the entrance to the East Ridge. It seemed like a good idea to keep rocks underfoot on the Cascade cirque ridgeline, but I was surprised how relatively small the cornices up there were. The biggest ones must've come down already. Top of the permanent snowfield had a massive cornice, but it's easy to skirt around.

[zion zig zag]

No good refreeze last night. Higher elevations were supportable if you skied fast and smooth, otherwise glop with a thin crust on it. West facing had the most supportable surface. Lower elevation gulleys were death traps.

[abraham]

Anyone been up in the uintas recently? Any information about the snow up there?

[PROVO]

Anyone been up in the uintas recently? Any information about the snow up there?

it was a good year for the uintas as well. Tons of snow, lines are fat, go where you please. MEGA cornice up top.

[skifishbum]

3 Days @ The Tee Pee

Tee Pee?
What Tee Pee?

North facing upper elavation skied well. Even south facing skied better than it skinned Some oag dude atpetly described it as slop on glop, but still skied pretty creamy Pretty easy to ski cut sploogalanches on steeper gully walls below 9k.

[salida]

New snow skied well, a touch sticky, and had a greenhouse crust at 6pm this evening. Almost an inch of moisture for what accounted for only 4-5 inches of snow above 9500 feet.

Noted some wet naturals on E facing at 9500 ft. Not more than 50ft wide, but ran considerable distances 5-600 vert.

[Alx88]

Conditions weren't all that stellar today. Wolverine cirque is rubbled out in most every shot. We tried all day to get high, but ended up stuck in a never ending cloudfest all day. Snowed most of the day though, might be good before 9:00 or so tomorrow.



Didn't see any snow moving in alarming ways, on the way out the south face you could get deep enough to hit what felt like really moist slush.

[criscam]

found some decent turns yesterday.

doremite:

[The Gnarwhale]

The snow was sluffy on the first lap but got greenhoused by 9 or 10am. Even high north was damp well before noon. Old snow surface was firm on NE facing Baldy and deep & manky elsewhere. Powder Goat makes a turn off the top during the 3 minutes of decent visibility.

[Doremite]

found some decent turns yesterday.

doremite:

Nice shots (if I might say so myself). Thanks for posting and, more importantly, hosting. Have to say, the last few days in UT were much more fun than work.

[zion zig zag]

I found conditions above 8500 feet today to be surprisingly good, supportable/carveable cream type stuff on every aspect. The wind was howling but not moving a ton of snow. The snow below 8500 feet was an absolute horror show, no turns, traverse survival skiing.

[Trackhead]

Good skiing this AM 9500ft and above on east aspects around 10am before greenhousing. Could definitely see where it could get sketchy today with greenhousing.

An apparent rescue occurring on the Pfeiff right now, per work radio.

[Johnny Deep]

I just heard that as well.


Heli called, cloud deck too low. Hope everything goes well.

[JoshP]

A few details just popped up on KSL, hoping for the best.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=15503524

Rescue crews trying to reach injured skier
May 11th, 2011 @ 3:25pm
By Pat Reavy

LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON — Rescue crews were trying to figure out how to reach a back country skier Wednesday afternoon who reportedly suffered serious injuries in a fall.

About 2 p.m., police received a call of a skier who fell anywhere from 25 to 1,000 feet, Unified police detective Levi Hughes said of the sketchy information. It was not immediately clear if the man was attempting a jump, got trapped in an avalanche or exactly how he was injured.

He was reportedly with a larger group of skiers when he was injured. Those friends called 911 after the accident.

Rescuers believe the injured man is an area that will take 3 1/2 hours to hike to. Not helping matters, Hughes said the hoist normally used on a Life Flight helicopter is broken.

Crews were considering snowmobiling to the injured skier. The skier is reportedly conscious but not alert, Hughes said.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

[The Gnarwhale]

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=15503524

LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON — Rescue crews have found two back country skiers caught in an avalanche Wednesday afternoon.

The two women, both in the mid-20's, were in a group of 13 people who hiked about three miles into the back country in the White Pines area, approximately seven miles up Little Cottonwood Canyon.

About 2 p.m. the two women got caught in the avalanche, one of which was carried about 1,000 feet in the slide and, according to Lt. Jake Peterson of Unified Police, went over a few 30-to-40-foot drops.

Someone in the party called 911 after the accident.

The woman suffered a broken elbow and a fractured rib. Crews took precautions for a possible spinal injury as well and have since flown her out of the area.

Lt. Peterson says she is in stable condition.

The second woman, also in her mid-20's has a minor injury to her knee and crews are dealing with "rapidly-changing weather conditions" before they are able to get her out as well.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

13 people? 2pm?

Alright, which one of you WBR guys is this with the DPS's...

[Slaag Master]

skied the greely side of alta today - heavy rollerball snow - great day - sad about the skiers caught in the avi - hope all goes well

[zion zig zag]

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=15503524


13 people? 2pm?

Alright, which one of you WBR guys is this with the DPS's...

I think that's a PC patroller, kiwi, can't remember his name. He's friends with Supu.

[TeleThor]

From the bit on the news it sounds like conflicting reports. Avy or a slip on ice?

[Touring_Sedan]

From the bit on the news it sounds like conflicting reports. Avy or a slip on ice?

Slip on ice. Party of 2.

[brutah]

regarding the pfeif: 2 girls, both fell from above the choke, both slid and fell over the 20-30 ft cliff (usually 50') in the apron. there will be a full report on UAC soon. positive vibes and prayers needed for the first victim. that was the scariest shit i have ever witnessed and probably the scariest thing I have ever skied, props to S&R, Utah Mountain Adventures and everyone else involved in the rescue.

[skifishbum]

^^^^ specially mags APD & Sfotex hope to never need your assistance, but you guys

[rconstan]

Re: Pfeiff accident. Turns out the second of the two over the cliff was a friend of mine, texted her this morning, she is doing well, having some knee surgery today, otherwise seemed ok. The first over the cliff has a compound wrist fracture and concussion. All in all, could have been much worse. Vibes to both of them.