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Water Weight and Snowpack

Posted on January 5, 2022August 20, 2024 by Backcountry Fever

I read UAC avalanche reports every day for the areas I like to play in. The intent to follow what is going on in our mountains for better decision making around safe winter recreation.  Yesterday’s forecast referenced the natural avalanche on Little Water Peak and mentioned something I found very interesting.

little water peak avalanche

The analysis part of that forecast says:

“Over the last week, snowfall containing up to 8 inches of water has been added to the snowpack. We focus on water amounts because that tells us how much weight is added to the snowpack. For a slope the size of a football field, snow with 8 inches of water weighs 2,800,000 pounds.”

Whoa, that’s nearly 3 MILLION pounds of snow!

Could you imagine that amount of weight coming down and potentially piling up on you?

avalanche crown

According to the Firewater observation report, “This avalanche failed deeply on a layer of facets above a crust, and then stepped down to the ground in many places.” 

The picture above shows a crown depth of almost 12 feet at one of it’s deepest points (the average depth was closer to 4′).  That amounts to one massive snow slide!

These fluffy flakes in the backcountry are serious business.  What people don’t realize is that snow is heavy, as illustrated here, and sets up like concrete in seconds after the avalanche stops.  This hardening process occurs by faceted grains refracturing as the snow slides and then interlock tightly when they come to rest.  Heat and friction play a part too.  It makes recovery from such a deposit like digging up a city sidewalk.  That outcome alone makes the chance of surviving such an incident very low.

It’s just not worth the risk.  Pay attention to your local avalanche forecast and know before you go!

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My 13th time on this summit, but 1st to enjoy some watermelon at the top 🍉 Thanks to Jocelyn, the "Watermelon Girl", who lugged that all the way up and was gracious enough to share it 😁

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #mounttimp #timpanogos #timp #11er #goatchallenge #hikethewasatch #summitshot #peakbagger #summervibes #watermelon #watermelongirl #goodvibrations

30 2
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My 13th time on this summit, but 1st to enjoy some watermelon at the top 🍉 Thanks to Jocelyn, the "Watermelon Girl", who lugged that all the way up and was gracious enough to share it 😁

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #mounttimp #timpanogos #timp #11er #goatchallenge #hikethewasatch #summitshot #peakbagger #summervibes #watermelon #watermelongirl #goodvibrations

Summit Shack in Sight!

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #mttimp #timp #wasatchfront #wasatchmountains #11er #summitshack #mountainlife #hikemore #hikerlife

19 0
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Summit Shack in Sight!

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #mttimp #timp #wasatchfront #wasatchmountains #11er #summitshack #mountainlife #hikemore #hikerlife

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#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #mttimp #timp #timpanogos #mountaineering

30 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18083925961775519
Veered right a bit of the South saddle (red line) for a more adventurous route up to Timp... but once we got up on the ridge, we saw we could have done an even more interesting way (yellow line) cutting into that cliff band and zigzagging along the shelves as seen in the 4th picture (taken from South Timp).

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #mttimp #timp #timpanogos #mountaineering

Only a few patches of snow remain between Aspen Grove and Emerald Lake.

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #timpanogos #timp #aspengrove #emeraldlake #snowfun #springhiking #wasatchmountains #goatworthy

36 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18330819139163410
Only a few patches of snow remain between Aspen Grove and Emerald Lake.

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #timpanogos #timp #aspengrove #emeraldlake #snowfun #springhiking #wasatchmountains #goatworthy

For those interested in doing Deseret Peak... the snow is still in the couloirs, but only for a little while longer!

#deseretpeak #twincouloirs #mountaineering

27 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18047137721625663
For those interested in doing Deseret Peak... the snow is still in the couloirs, but only for a little while longer!

#deseretpeak #twincouloirs #mountaineering

The best way to slide down a snowy slope in Spring conditions is like this...

#glissade #glissading #springtimefun #mountaineering #slipperywhenwet #letsgooo

17 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 17851034010437154
The best way to slide down a snowy slope in Spring conditions is like this...

#glissade #glissading #springtimefun #mountaineering #slipperywhenwet #letsgooo

Didn`t get much mountaineering in this Spring, so trying to catch the last bit of something before the snow`s all gone.

#mountaineering #snowhike #wolverinecirque #abovebrighton #brighton #springadventures #springhike #westillhavesnow #utahhiking #mtmillicent #mtwolverine #patsymarley #ridgehike

25 0
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Didn't get much mountaineering in this Spring, so trying to catch the last bit of something before the snow's all gone.

#mountaineering #snowhike #wolverinecirque #abovebrighton #brighton #springadventures #springhike #westillhavesnow #utahhiking #mtmillicent #mtwolverine #patsymarley #ridgehike

Not too many cold weather weekends left to go winter camping!

#coldweathercamping #wintercamping #wintercamp #uintas #sledsintow #stillwinterhere #winterfun

16 0
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Not too many cold weather weekends left to go winter camping!

#coldweathercamping #wintercamping #wintercamp #uintas #sledsintow #stillwinterhere #winterfun

Bagged Bierstadt today! Thought I could get Evans too, but took one look at The Sawtooth and went "nope"! I was also by myself... either way, that stretch looked intense even without the snow.

Get the full trip report at BackcountryFever.com/CO

#bierstadt #mountbierstadt #mtbierstadt #mtbierstadtsummit #winterroute #snowshoeing #snowshoeadventures #hikecolorado #hikeco #colorado14ers #colorado14er #14er #14ers #14ersummit #peakbagging #summitchaser

28 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 17901033000080878
Bagged Bierstadt today!  Thought I could get Evans too, but took one look at The Sawtooth and went "nope"! I was also by myself... either way, that stretch looked intense even without the snow.

Get the full trip report at BackcountryFever.com/CO

#bierstadt #mountbierstadt #mtbierstadt #mtbierstadtsummit #winterroute #snowshoeing #snowshoeadventures #hikecolorado #hikeco #colorado14ers #colorado14er #14er #14ers #14ersummit #peakbagging #summitchaser
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