Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Wednesday - January 7, 2015 - 7:04am
bottom line

There's a MODERATE (level 2) danger in the backcountry. Heightened avalanche conditions exist on drifted slopes, and wind slab avalanches are possible. Warming daytime temperatures will create a rising danger of wet avalanches on steep slopes with saturated snow.

  • Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully.
  • Avoid fresh wind drifts on slopes steeper than about 30 degrees.
  • Also, avoid midday travel on or below steep sunny slopes with saturated snow.

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special announcement

We will offer an Avalanche Awareness Class, for beginners and as a refresher for those already with some training, including a Field Day in the backcountry. Class begins tomorrow evening, and will run all day Saturday January 10. Call Paige at 435-757-2794 for more information.
current conditions

The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports 57 inches of total snow containing 135% of average water for the date, and its already a balmy 37 degrees this morning. The wind sensor is still rimed at the CSI Logan Peak weather station, but it's also already 37 degrees at 9700'. Not much in the way of nice powder out there anymore, after recent strong winds, rime, and warm temperatures, but some observers are still finding areas with smooth, consistent and "creamy" snow. Good days to get out and enjoy the unseasonably warm weather though. Touring and riding conditions are fairly good despite the lack of powder, with mostly supportable snow, so you can easily cover some ground.

I found a thin translucent zipper rime-crust on the snow surface at upper elevations Monday. (1-5-2015)

****Observational and snowpit video from Burn Bowl on 1-5-2014....HERE
recent activity

I ran across a fresh natural wind slab avalanche on Monday, (1-5-2015). The 1-foot deep and 100 feet wide avalanche occurred on a heavily drifted mid-elevation southeast facing slope. Warm temperatures yesterday caused some natural loose wet activity in sunny terrain.

Natural wet sluffs from midday yesterday in South Hollow. The avalanches on a southeast facing slope at around 8500' started in rock bands and left 2 to 3' deep piles of heavy wet debris. ( Flygare 1-6-2015)

*****1-5-15 Wind Slab Avalanche Video Observation.......HERE

Visit our Backcountry Observations Page for more information.....

Avalanche Problem 1
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

Watch for fresh wind slabs formed by recent sustained and strong west winds. Wind slabs may be lurking on the lee side of ridge-lines and in and around terrain features like gullies, scoops, cliff-bands, and sub-ridges. The fresh drifts should still be fairly obvious. Wind deposits often appear rounded, patterned, chalky looking, and they may be hollow sounding.

Dangerous persistent slab avalanches are rather unlikely, but they remain possible in outlying terrain facing the northern half of the compass, and on drifted slopes steeper than about 30 degrees. Steep rocky slopes at mid and upper elevations that had shallow snow cover in December and now with recent wind deposits are the most suspect. Warming temperatures could soften the overlying slab in some cases allowing for easier triggering....

Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

Warming temperatures will again create heightened wet avalanche conditions on slopes with saturated surface snow. Loose wet avalanches are more likely during the heat of midday, especially on sunny sheltered slopes. Natural wet sluffs are likely in some sunny terrain, and you could easily trigger wet slides on some steep slopes. Avoid midday travel on or below steep sunny slopes. Watch out for snow sliding off roofs in today's midday heat.
weather

It'll be sunny and warm in the mountains again today, with calm winds and 8500' high temperatures reaching 45 degrees! Expect clear skies tonight, with light west winds, and a low around 32 degrees. We'll see mostly sunny skies again tomorrow, with mountain temperatures around 42 degrees. Our next chance for fresh snow looks to be early next week.

Check out our one-stop weather page........HERE

general announcements

You can now receive advisories by email for each region in the state including Logan.  Go here for details.

 Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools.......  Utah Avalanche Center mobile app 

Please submit snow and avalanche observations from your ventures in the backcountry HERE. You can call us at 801-524-5304 or email HERE, or include #utavy in your Instagram or Tweet us @UAClogan. To report avalanche activity in the Logan Area or to contact the local avalanche forecaster call me, Toby, at 435-757-7578. 

I'll regularly update this advisory on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by about 7:30.   This advisory is produced by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. It describes only general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.