Now is a great time to practice companion rescue techniques with your backcountry partners. You should check out and use the new Avalanche Beacon Training Park we set up at the Franklin Basin trailhead. Special thanks to Northstars Ultimate Outdoors and USU Outdoor Program for helping us to make this possible.
It's been a week now since the last storm, and the surface snow in most areas suffers from wind jack or sun-crusts of varying thickness. You might find some areas with "loud powder" in sheltered shady terrain, recrystallized surface snow (facets) or glittery feathers of surface hoar. We're seeing gradually improving stability in the backcountry, but also lingering potential for triggering dangerous avalanches.
The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports 24º F and there's 46"of total snow containing 83% of average SWE. I'm reading 19º F at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, and southeast winds are currently averaging around 20 mph.
The first in a series of weather disturbances will return to the area from the southwest late Monday, followed by a second system Tuesday night through Wednesday. A colder and stronger storm will arrive late in the week. Today will be sunny with light east winds and high temperatures at 8500' near 34º F.
A large avalanche occurred Saturday morning (1/12/19) on the east side of Logan Peak in the Fairgrounds Bowl. It was probably remote triggered by riders in the area. See report
HERE Thanks to Ryan Thompson for the photography
That brings the number of unintentionally human triggered avalanches in the Logan Zone that we know of up to 6 in 2019. (all since 1/4/19) The list of recent avalanches in the Logan Zone list is
HERE
