Wasatch 08-09 Conditions

**Trackhead** · 01-04-2009, 08:23 PM

1-4-09

Western Uinta's again. Skied east, south, north aspects from 7,500-10,200. Great skiing on all apects with roughly 6-8" of new from the last storm. No new avy activity noted, didn't see anything alarming. Skied slopes to roughly 34 degrees.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdblObdKcbs

**mph** · 01-04-2009, 10:27 PM

Was all over the PC Ridgeline today. From 9990 to Murdock Peak. The snow was fantastic!!! Get out there...Did not dig any pits due to the low angle runs we were skiing. Skied north, northeast slopes as well as southern exposed...Did not notice any avalanche activity whatsoever.

**MultiVerse** · 01-04-2009, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by Trackhead

1-4-09

Western Uinta's again.

Those helicopter shots are sick. The helicam shots just take it to the next level… any chance you also have a picture of the bird? What trailhead/stepping-off point are you using in the Uintas?

**powstash** · 01-05-2009, 01:38 AM

Originally Posted by ePiech

Those helicopter shots are sick. The helicam shots just take it to the next level… any chance you also have a picture of the bird? What trailhead/stepping-off point are you using in the Uintas?

Yellowpine. It's a LONG walk but once you get there the goods are, well, good.

**schindlerpiste** · 01-05-2009, 07:51 AM

Wasatch (The Can.) looking good (Warning: Kiddie stoke)

**Trackhead** · 01-07-2009, 06:17 PM

Skied Butler Fork finding fun snow for the Lotus 120's on all aspects. Exit was south facing to BCC road. Rollerballing, but otherwise quite fun bobsledding.

No naturals observed in Broads, Mineral, Raymond, Lawnmower, or Argenta.

**PROVO** · 01-07-2009, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by powstash

Yellowpine.

Yellowpine as in Yellowpine creek that flows into beaver creek? If so, I have always wanted to scope that. How LONG is it though?

**climbhigh1119** · 01-08-2009, 01:25 PM

Toured up Butler Aspens this morning. Snow was a little grabby and got crusty fast when the aspect deviated very far from true north. The skin in almost warranted ski crampons getting up the side of the gulley.

Sfotex showing off his new gore-tex ski jeans. Yeah, I'm jealous.

Turns.

**skifishbum** · 01-08-2009, 10:50 PM

No longer have a Soli pass, so headed up the SF meadows hoping to scope out the keyhole or another shot into Days. Moderate cornices on ridgeline, some flying turds overhead, no real instabilities. Made it to dead tree "chute" before partners time constraints led to dropping back into Sf in the trees diagonal of cliff band. Signs of desposition in trees and old crowns seen on both sides of the ridge. Keyhole looked wind loaded and some cross loading visible in Jaws. Mix of snow conditions from mank below 85k to wind jack on ridgelines and open areas to some nice pow in sheltered trees.

DP in the morn 5:00 am mouth of bcc if anybodies interested.

**Trackhead** · 01-09-2009, 10:26 AM

We started an hour after SFB and Pondo.....no reason to break trail.

Headed up Argenta yelling Marco....and eventually had a "Polo" response from the darkness. We felt safe knowing we were in contact.

Ran into Pondo digging a pit at the top, just before the steep trees. His pit failed at CT1,000 from the waist.

Translation:where his pit was, it was bomber. Here Pondo demonstrates the "Waist Smashing Test". "Break, you fucker"

Despite our micro observation, we still opted to not skin up the last headwall. We'll let someone bolder do that.

Also saw SFB doing weird things to his Bro/Dynafit combo. Strange things happen in the early hours.

Next was a 150 second non stop descent of Argenta.....great skiing on 6-9" of new.

My skis match.

Thanks for the skinner guys.

**sfotex** · 01-10-2009, 06:08 PM

Today sucked ass:

Heavy snow

It wasn't very deep:

The views sucked:

**skifishbum** · 01-10-2009, 09:08 PM

Keeping the suck going
Sfotex

More sucky views

Sucky skis

At least my photog skills don't suck

good tour decent pit results - the W sw one
Glad you checked another cool wasatch peak off your list

**AltaPowderDaze** · 01-10-2009, 10:05 PM

obs from the yesterdays full moon:

we came back to work to find that the moonlight skiing produced a nice slab out of recent wind drifting on the gad valley/white pine ridge. it appears that some people stayed behind sweeps to get an early start on the nearly full moon skiing. a bootpack leads right into the flank of the slide. i'm not really sure what the outcome was but there are tracks next to the slide and no beacon signal from the debris pile, which was plenty deep for burial.

fwiw, there is an older crown above that was deeper from the x-mas cycle. the slope faces about ENE and loads well with up canyon winds. it seems people are relying on previously avalanched slopes to get some steep skiing in. just remember that our infamous rain crust did not go away in many of the slides, so we may see them repeat throughout the season. last nights event appears to be only new snow wind loading but nothing to scoff at. there should be some better info and more pics available on tomorrow's avy forecast. stay safe out there.

edit for link: http://www.avalanche.org/~uac/photos...20Gorsage.web/

**zion zig zag** · 01-10-2009, 10:57 PM

Good skiing up north today. Skied se slopes at elevations from 6500 to 8800 feet and ne slopes from 5700 to 7000 ft. Pits showed 140 cms of pencil hardness snow, with a failure at about 35 cms from the top at 16Q2 on a thin layer of facets. ECT showed no propagation across the slab. No rain crust found.

The skiing was smooth and creamy on a supportable base.

**SKIjunkie9** · 01-10-2009, 11:38 PM

nice jeans sfotex

**Trackhead** · 01-11-2009, 02:57 PM

Skied from roughly 7,500 to 10,000 today in Mineral on east aspects. Dug one pit at roughly 10k on 33 degree east aspect. Dirty, spanky, unimpressive sheer at old rain crust that appears to be degrading. Riming was occurring with earnest on our exit at 11:30am with micro zipper crust forming.

Mindless POV with camera duct tape to skull.

**otter** · 01-11-2009, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by Trackhead

Skied from roughly 7,500 to 10,000 today in Mineral on east aspects. Dug one pit at roughly 10k on 33 degree east aspect. Dirty, spanky, unimpressive sheer at old rain crust that appears to be degrading. Riming was occurring with earnest on our exit at 11:30am with micro zipper crust forming.

Mindless POV with camera duct tape to skull.

Holly crap, Trackhead can walk on water.

**altabird92** · 01-11-2009, 04:06 PM

that video made my day
your hood is fucking annoying though

**JTrue** · 01-11-2009, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by otter

Holly crap, Trackhead can walk on water.

Duh, his new DPS are a super light weight water/snow ski hybrid. Float in pow and on water. The dynafits just add to it all.

**Bud Green** · 01-11-2009, 10:35 PM

Some lame POV for Trackhead:

SkiBumOfVT · 01-11-2009, 11:16 PM

heard it was raining at white pine today
can anyone confirm?

**Trackhead** · 01-11-2009, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by SkiBumOfVT

heard it was raining at white pine today
can anyone confirm?

Rime, not rain.

**Xover** · 01-12-2009, 02:36 AM

Originally Posted by Trackhead

Mindless POV with camera duct tape to skull.

... that vid made me laugh my ass off on a very late night tonight; thanks HH

I'm a little scared right now to "race" you on Thursday though

p.s. good to see you realizing "It's all about the down"; 'bout damn time

**Some Douche** · 01-12-2009, 03:04 AM

^^^ thanks for you're "observations"

alta is tiny

**skifishbum** · 01-12-2009, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Trackhead

Skied from roughly 7,500 to 10,000 today in Mineral on east aspects. Dug one pit at roughly 10k on 33 degree east aspect. Dirty, spanky, unimpressive sheer at old rain crust that appears to be degrading. Riming was occurring with earnest on our exit at 11:30am with micro zipper crust forming.

Mindless POV with camera duct tape to skull.

Was in the same neck of the woods. Pondo attempted to rig the helmet cam, but it glitched

Pondo

Mrs. Pondo

Made the chicks dig pits they said it was good to go

Rime crust slightly more than micro by our 2:30 exit