Warm temperatures and strong solar heating, with little relief from very light winds, will cause the danger to rise to level 3 or Considerable in the backcountry today. Dangerous wet and dry slab avalanches up to 3 feet deep are possible on steep slopes. You still might trigger a large and dangerous deep slab avalanche in some areas, most likely on a very steep upper elevation slope in an outlying area with poor snow structure and generally thin snow coverage... Wet avalanches will become increasingly likely with midday heat, and cornice falls could trigger large avalanches on steep slopes below. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route finding, and conservative decision making will be essential today in the backcountry. Avoid steep rocky slopes with generally thin snow cover, steep slopes with warmth softened saturated snow, and overhanging ridge-top cornices. You'll find safer conditions in sheltered shady areas, at lower elevations, and in lower angled terrain...

Mountain temperatures mostly remained above freezing overnight across the zone, with colder air draining into the valley floors and mountain sinks. The veneer surface refreeze won't last long at upper elevations with today's warm temperatures, light wind, and strong sun. While valley temperatures are in the low twenties this morning, it's already 34 degrees up at Tony Grove and 35 at the top of Logan Peak. The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports 81 inches of total snow containing 89% of normal water for the date. The Campbell Scientific Logan Peak weather station reports southwest winds averaging only in the single digits at 9700' this morning... Conditions will become dangerous on steep slopes as the snow softens due to warmth and direct solar heating, with little relief from very light winds, and the avalanche danger will rise.

Two very experienced and well known local backcountry skiers were buried and killed in Grand Teton National Park near Jackson Wyoming. The avalanche, on the south side of Ranger Peak, probably occurred on Wednesday and the bodies were recovered by search and rescue teams on Thursday... Click HERE for more details...

For a story with a better ending: Sledders recovered a party member who was completely buried under several feet of heavy avalanche debris in the mountains near Kamas Utah on Sunday. For an excellent video recounting the miracle rescue, click... HERE

Locally; I checked out a recently triggered fresh deep slab avalanche in the Rodeo Grounds on the east side of Logan Peak Thursday afternoon... The hard slab avalanche on a southeast facing slope just above 9000' in elevation was 2 to 3 feet deep and around 50 feet wide, and it left a deep pile of debris in the flats at the bottom of the hill... For photos, link HERE.....

(go to our current conditions page for more details on the local activity and reports of many other recent avalanches and conditions across the mountains of Utah)

It will be warm and sunny today, with mostly calm winds. 8500' high temperatures will climb well into the 40s, and very light southwest winds will likely fail to cool things off.... Temperatures should drop into the upper twenties overnight. Southwest winds will increase tomorrow, and it'll be downright breezy by afternoon...There is a slight chance for a little snow as a storm system passes well to the north Sunday night and Monday, but don't get your hopes up, as little in the way of accumulation is expected. The next chance for a little snow will come Tuesday Night into Wednesday, with another storm on the northern track....

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Please send us your observations from the backcountry especially if you see or trigger an avalanche, but also even if you don't.. go to avalanche and snow observations. You can also call me directly at 435-757-7578 or leave us a message at our office, 801-524-5304.... And, you can always send us a simple email by clicking HERE

I will update this advisory by around 7:30 in the morning on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.....

This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.