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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Paige Pagnucco
Issued by Paige Pagnucco on
Friday morning, January 26, 2024
Elevated avalanche conditions exist at all elevations; the danger is MODERATE, and human-triggered avalanches are possible. People could trigger dangerous slab avalanches up to three feet deep and a couple of hundred feet wide, failing on a buried persistent weak layer, especially where the snow is relatively shallow and in steep, previously drifted rocky terrain.
Evaluate snow and terrain carefully, and avoid slopes steeper than 30° with shallow snow and poor snowpack structure. Reevaluate your plans if you observe obvious signs of instability like recent avalanches or collapsing (whumpfs).
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Weather and Snow
We picked up a few inches of "rimey" snow yesterday that will refresh surface conditions a bit mainly at upper elevations. Though the avalanche danger is slowly decreasing, traveling in the backcountry is still a bit tricky. There are fewer obvious signs of instability, but triggering a large avalanche remains possible in areas where the snow is shallower. The Logan zone has excellent coverage making it easy to find safe places to ride, away from slopes steeper than 30°. We've found very good, fast, shallow powder conditions on low-angle slopes in the Northern and Central Bear River Range this past week.
This morning, the wind is blowing around 15 mph from the northwest at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station. At 9500' on Paris Peak, the wind is light, less than 10 mph from the north, and it’s 17° F. The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports 23° F and 78 inches of total snow containing 128% of average SWE (Snow Water Equivalent).
The storm has passed, and some sunshine is finally in the forecast. Today, high temperatures at 8500' will be 28° F. Winds will blow lightly from the northwest then southwest for a few hours this morning then back to the northwest. Expect partly sunny skies today and through the weekend, with a gradual warming trend. Mountain temperatures are expected to reach almost 40° F on Monday.
Recent Avalanches
Details are limited, but we received reports of a rider-triggered avalanche last Saturday (1-20) in Birch Creek in the Northern Bear River Range. Observers are still finding evidence of large natural avalanches that occurred late last week in steep terrain across the zone.
Check out local observations and avalanches HERE.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Today, human-triggered slab avalanches failing on a buried persistent weak layer could be large and life-threatening. During the last big storm, heavy snowfall and drifting by winds from the west overloaded slopes plagued by widespread buried layers of weak, sugary snow or facets and feathery surface hoar that developed during the prolonged December dry spell. This setup is likely found in areas where the snowpack is less than about 4-5 feet deep (150 cm).
  • Avalanches could be triggered remotely, from a distance, or worse, from below.
  • Collapsing or whumpfs and shooting cracks indicate unstable snow.
  • Avalanches are possible even when there are no obvious signs of instability.
  • With unseasonably warm temperatures and rain, the low-elevation snowpack is soft and saturated. Triggering a wet avalanche in terrain with poor snow structure, like the steep banks next to the Logan River, is possible.
Additional Information
Suspect terrain includes areas with shallower snow and a thinner slab layer. On Wednesday, we had mixed stability test results in the Northern Bear River Range and found areas with shallow snow and more unstable conditions on a mid-elevation northwest-facing slope near Midnight Mountain.
Always follow safe travel protocols on or under slopes steeper than 30°.
  • Be sure everyone in your party has working avalanche rescue equipment, including a transceiver, probe, and shovel. Practice with this equipment regularly, and include and instruct new partners.
  • Cross avalanche paths and runout zones one person at a time, with the rest of the party watching from a safe place.
  • Reevaluate and be willing to change your plans if you encounter any signs of instability, like recent avalanches, audible collapses (whumpfs), or cracking in drifted snow.
General Announcements
-Come practice companion rescue with your backcountry partners at the Franklin Basin TH beacon training park. video HERE.
-For all questions on forecasts, education, Know Before You Go, events, online purchases, or fundraising: call 801-365-5522.
-To report an avalanche or submit an observation from the backcountry: go HERE.
-We will update this forecast by 7:30 AM tomorrow.
This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions, and local variations always occur.
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