During the month of April, Mark Miller will donate $75 to the charity of your choice (5 to chose from, including the Utah Avalanche Center!) Mark Miller Subaru has raised over $300k in the previous 6 Do Good Feel Good events. More Info here |
For every car Mark MIller Subaru sells in April, they will donate $75 to the charity of your choice (5 to choose from). Who are you going to choose? Plus - you can vote for your favorite and the 3 groups receiving the most votes get an additional cash prize donated by Mark Miller Subaru. Details here
During the month of April, Mark Miller will donate $75 to the charity of your choice (5 to chose from, including the Utah Avalanche Center!) Mark Miller Subaru has raised over $300k in the previous 6 Do Good Feel Good events. More Info here |
Advisory: Moab Area Mountains | Issued by Eric Trenbeath for Monday - January 6, 2014 - 7:20am |
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special announcement This advisory is issued based on field observations taken over the weekend of January 4-5, and on weather observations taken on the morning of January 6. This advisory is to be used as a baseline for developing your own danger analysis during the upcoming week. |
current conditions Sunday was cold and clear in the mountains, and winds continued to howl out of the NW, averaging 30 mph with gusts as high as 50 on Pre Laurel Peak. Overnight low temperatures were below zero but they've been climbing slow and steady to 9 degrees this morning. Daytime highs today will be in the upper 20's and winds should finally back off to about 10 mph from the NW. La Sal Mountains Strong northerly winds the past couple of days have added insult to injury to our already bruised and battered snow surface. Expect to find heavily wind damaged snow and breakable sun crusts out there. In sheltered, wooded areas, it is still possible to find re-crystallized "powder" conditions, though most of the pack in these areas has been taken over by facets. This equates to a pile of sugar where it is possible to sink right through to the ground. There is currently 21" on the ground at Geyser Pass Trailhead, and 33" in Gold Basin, but "spatial variability" best describes the distribution of snow throughout the range. Some wind and sun exposed areas show bare ground. Exposed ridge tops with northerly aspects have been scoured by northerly winds, but just down slope 100' or less, up to 4' of snow can be found. On sheltered, mid elevation slopes, average snow depth is 24-30". Abajo Mountains Low snow conditions prevail in the Abajos. Snow depths range from about 18"-24" of snow above about 10,000' on shady aspects. Bare ground is exposed on south facing slopes, and even east facing slopes with a slight southerly component are showing areas of exposed ground. Snow surface conditions are similar to those in the La Sals. The Snotel site at Camp Jackson is reporting 19" on the ground. |
recent activity . |
type | aspect/elevation | characteristics |
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LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
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description
It still may be possible to trigger a buried persistent slab though this danger is quite isolated. You are most likely to find these slabs on upper-mid elevation, NW-NE aspects steeper than 35 degrees, particularly in areas of rocky terrain. Because many of the ridge tops have been wind scoured, expect to find this problem further down slope. You will need to be alert to areas that have a smooth, rounded appearance. Be cautious of convexities, and watch out for isolated pockets on the lee sides of terrain features, and beneath rock bands. Of greater concern for the future is our existing snow pack. it consists of a variety of weak layers including buried surface hoar, depth hoar, facet/crust combinations, and areas where the entire pack has turned to faceted, sugary snow. This type of snow pack structure does not bode well for the future, and we are now playing a waiting game in anticipation of the next snow load.This snow pit from the top of Coyote Chute illustrates what we are dealing with. Shears were found in the upper, buried surface hoar layer, and on a mid pack facet layer with a shovel shear test. A compression test produced a relatively stubborn failure of the entire pack on the buried depth hoar, CT14 Q3. |
type | aspect/elevation | characteristics |
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LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
|
description
Much of the snow pack is turning into a pile of facets, or loose, weak, non-cohesive snow. This snow can sluff off as a pile of sand, entraining more snow as it goes. And though it most likely won't bury you, it can sweep you off your feet, carry you over a rock band, or onto a buried, persistent slab. This problem is most prevalent on steep shady slopes at upper mid elevations. |
weather A series of weak, Pacific storm systems on a split flow will begin to affect our area by Tuesday night, bringing clouds and mostly unsettled conditions with a slight chance of snow developing by Wednesday and continuing through Friday. Current wind and temperatures on Pre Laurel Peak. Current temperature and new snow totals in Gold Basin. Current wind and temperature on Abajo Peak. Monday: Sunny, with a high near 28. Wind chill values as low as -10. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. |
general announcements OBSERVATIONS: If you are out and about in the mountains, I'd love to know what you are seeing. Please submit your OBSERVATIONS HERE LUNA GROOMING INFORMATION: All trails including the upper meadows at Geyser Pass and the road into Gold Basin are groomed and in excellent shape. ROAD CONDITIONS: The road is clear with a mixture of bare dirt, and a packed surface of snow. UAC MOBILE APP: Get your advisory on your iphone with this app
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Advisory Hotline: (888) 999-4019 | Contact Information