Wasatch 08-09 Conditions

[Trackhead]

Probably worth noting that beyond the forecasts, the other information they provide is truly invaluable. Like Tremper's vids post avy incidents, youtube vids of avy pits, vids of techniques, etc, etc.

[MultiVerse]

Went up BCC solo (on the lookout for partners) and ended up skiing the Kessler powder glades all the while testing for instabilities and found none, even dropped a small cornice that went nowhere. However, another two person touring group said they pulled off a small soft slab.

Otherwise, conditions were spectacular; the temp remained cold with creamy snow in exposed areas and some pow in shaded areas next to the tree-lines.



Edit: The UAC forecast does contain more than just the color coded graphics depicting the danger. Unless you are out there regularly, reading (skimming really) the text is helpful for many reasons, not the least of which is what to look out for in a worst case scenario. Today, for example, it was strong sun heating south faces, wind slabs and persistent slabs… all of which can be avoided.

Yeah; it all becomes routine after a while but it’s helpful for spotting trends and it works best if you follow each individual forecaster as well as checking it regularly rather than just on touring days.

[grenalds]

Probably worth noting that beyond the forecasts, the other information they provide is truly invaluable. Like Tremper's vids post avy incidents, youtube vids of avy pits, vids of techniques, etc, etc.

I agree totally. I wasn't trying to say the forecast is one-dimensional or just color-coded graphics. They're a great, great resource.

I think I was just trying to make a point that forecasts supplement, at least for myself, judgement calls when I'm out skiing. I just don't see why someone would dismiss the UAC as a whole for instances where observations don't match the forecast.

Maybe I took that the wrong way.

[Rudyj2]

checking it regularly rather than just on touring days.

This is very good advice.

[wra]

But is sounds like even the wizard got surprised yesterday. But you're probably smarter than him as well.
Such is the nature of new snow instabilities. Hit or miss.

Not really surprising. Snow pit testing early in the day revealed the potential. Thumping the corner twice got no result. Ski cut all the way across produced a crack and surface sluffing.
Adda extra hundred pounds without the cut and...Surprise?
Btw, the slide was triggered at about 5 pm.
Good stability today with settlement. Avoided one or two of the wind pillow surprises.

[skifishbum]

Wishing I had ignored the forecast and gone out yesterday. UAC can only cry wolf so many times before we start to ignore them altogether. Actually, I guess some people already do.

Instead of dissing on people providing a forcasting service I'd suggest attending one of their avvy classes may just learn enough to make your own decisions
Damn good peeps in my book
skiing yesterday was damn good didn't feel like an extreme cheating death experience but thats always dependent on spatial variables
some more margianally edited cheap helmy cam footy
hadn't been in that neck of the woods since Dec


Tha S facing descent was character building and gear thrashing I hope my saying that doesn't influence backcountry tavel pattens to much
looking to get out early with the sugar momma and Sfotex shoot me a pm if your up and looking for partners

[the vor]

SFB, That was damn good stuff for some "marginally edited cheap helmet cam footy".

Went out solo yesterday afternoon up butler and this morning Argenta. Found pretty stable, delicious snow on North facing, especially in the trees. Small wet slide yesterday, in the exit gully of Butler, West facing in the afternoon. Have been dropping small to medium size cornices and not seeing movement. Pits have shown hard to produce, jagged fractures. Found minor sluffing in the upper trees of argenta. Wanted to do the upper chute and felt like sluffing would be the only issue, but didn't feel like pushing it alone and with the wind transport going on in the upper reaches. Waiting to see what happens with the next storm.

[The Gnarwhale]

Dibs, didn't you get the memo that the UAC prohibits skiing on storm days? You got a lotta nerve posting that stuff on the internet.

[The Gnarwhale]

3.27

Watched powderbirds bomb Superior (and Montreal, Days, et al) then started skinning


Laps off Emma ridge then down to Cardiff


Up cardiac then down to work


3.28

up Bonkers


towards the Twins. Dromedary and O'Sullivan in the background.


down the east face


No instabilities noticed, though there are significant debris piles around, presumably from during the storm on 3/25 and 3/26

[Boissal]

Gobbler's to Porter. Way hot on the uphill, wind damage on the first 100' down porters then 1500' of creamy goodness. Jeebus is being good to us...

[Wasatch_Expat]

Good plan. You're probably smarter than they are.

Such is the nature of new snow instabilities. Hit or miss. You might think differently if it was your ass in a sling if you got it wrong.

Fair enough. Probably should have not said what I did, especially since I read the UAC forecast every day, whether I'm going out or not, just to see what's going on. I'm just a bit bitter, I guess, since I skipped Thursday because of the forecast and also skipped skiing the day after the storm a few weeks ago when they sent out the mid-day update to the forecast warning of gloom and doom due to the new snow.

Both days ended up having few instabilities and being epic deep. That being said, I'd rather them err on the side of caution and have me safe at home in my bed than say things are fine and end up with someone getting buried.

[zion zig zag]

Skied the lawnmower today. Miserable going up but the wind kinda slowed once on top, also could see all the way to the road for the ski out.

Easily initiated soft slabs that ran pretty far but no deeper instabilities. Nice, light new snow on top of a soft base on the edges of the trees. Face shots galore.

[MultiVerse]

^^^ Had a similar experience except the wind never let up. Went up BCC early and caught the brunt of the front on the ski out. Winds were howling on the ridges, warm at 6:00 AM then very cold, and it was puking light cold smoke which meant bouncing off of whatever was underneath but it was coming down fast and furious.

[Trackhead]

1.5-2ft of new on Argenta this morning. Fairly pleasant trail breaking. Crust on lower 1/3rd below new snow, then the crust was not apparent up high. Snow seemed well bonded, but probably would sluff out on steeper slopes.

Gnarwhale.


JonR-frame grab from video chase.

[djc]

Hiked Ben Lomond via Cutler Ridge on Saturday. Lots of wind damage up high but great snow about 500 feet from the peak for about 1500 feet until it got wet. Manageable wind slabs. Recommend crampons for the final 700 feet up the summit ridge as it is pretty wind scoured.

Here are a few pictures, no action shots, as the wind was howling up high (and I suck).

Sun Rising:



Skin Track Stoke:



Non Mag Dennis On Top:

[Johnny Deep]

djc! Good on ya, I haven't been up there in several years. Thx for the reminder!

[djc]

djc! Good on ya, I haven't been up there in several years. Thx for the reminder!

Get up there! Plenty of fresh to go around. I've got my eye on the south face into Ogden...though my giant pussy might get in the way...

[The Gnarwhale]

Skied argenta x 4 this morning. Felt like ~10k' but I need to get out the topo and count iso bars.

Blower all morning but started feeling soggy by early afternoon on the last 1000' down to the road.

Thanks for allowing sandbagers to tag along TH.

Gas station goggle craze??

[Johnny Deep]

10K

[MultiVerse]

Put some nice tracks in below Parleys & above I-80 for the commuters and went from one of the nastiest days of the year yesterday to one of the best today. Skied safer 30-35 degree aspen and evergreen glades with plenty of new snow and no activity except for LOTS of naturals on the more enviable & sought-after steeper bowls and canyon walls.


(Light snow in the morning and then blue skies before the next front)

[Trackhead]

Thanks for allowing sandbagers to tag along TH.

Good to meet you, and I'm glad you got the most out of the skinner. It's always a shame to bust it in then have to leave.

Oh, and gas station goggles are steezy stuff. 7-11 is about the best sponsor anyone could ever want.

[Xover]

skied upper LCC west facing tonight for dusk patrol. dropped some fairly good size cornices on north and east facing slopes on the way up; nothing more than sluffing. wind really had its way with cornice growth the past 2 days as I saw some HUDGE cornices on east and north facing slopes that were not there at all 2 days ago.

sun came out just enough to assist in the stabilization of the pack tonight, but not enough to bake it although it did thicken it up a little. very, very minor sluffing with turns 35-45 degrees. no hard slabs were found on west, north or east facing aspects where we were at.

white beaver was all up in our faces and stuff. plus we were treated to an amazing dusk patrol tonight; most likely the best of the year and i can't possibly fathom a better one. so still, so quiet, so blower, so orange, so pink, so red ...... surreal for sure.

p.s. really, really fuckin' cold for the beginning of april; keep it coming, keep it coming!!

[Bud Green]

10K

http://greghill.squarespace.com/http...usnetgreghill/

[gimpy]

kinda late notice but wondering if any local peeps would be kind enough to show 2 fairly fit tahoe folk around manana/teus. kinda got a feel for where to go but nothing beats local knowledge. will check back here early am and thank u kind.

[TomKimbrough]

This is my 1st TGR post but I lurk around some and I thought I should say a bit re Wasatch Expat's post about "crying wolf".
I'm a retired UAC forecaster so I'm not completely objective but maybe I can give a few insights. That's me in the snowpit above. I'm OAG on Tele Tips.

The UAC folks are quite aware of the "wolf" problem. They know they must call it as closely as they can if people are going to listen to them. In addition they have all had people killed on their forecast shifts and I can tell you that it doesn't feel good. If somebody gets killed the forecast will be carefully scrutinized by many (not least by the forecaster in question) for any missed details. So, for obvious reasons, they tend to be a tiny bit conservative.

Evelyn is quite aware that she over forecasted last week and I'm sure she is sorry that you missed a good day out there. She is also glad she didn't under forecast and get you killed.

One more thing for Wasatch Expat: I don't know your level of training and maybe I shouldn't say this but what the heck. If you have an avi class or two under your belt and a bit of experience, don't miss a day because the danger is rated high or even extreme. Those are the best days to learn about snow and instabilities. You have to be really careful with your terrain but there are always places you can go, maybe not for turns, maybe just to dig a hole or two but go on, get out there. And if they have over forecasted maybe it'll be the best day of the season and you'll have it all to yourself.

Thanks and don't forget to: "Stay on top!"
Tom Kimbrough