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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed for
Saturday, February 26, 2022
Heightened avalanche conditions exist on drifted slopes at mid and upper elevations in the backcountry. The danger is MODERATE, and people could trigger small slab avalanches of wind drifted snow on slopes steeper than 30°. This week, shallow drifts formed on sugary faceted snow, burying a persistent weak layer, and this weekend, avalanches might be triggered remotely or from a distance.
Evaluate snow and terrain carefully. Watch for and avoid recently wind drifted snow on steep slopes, especially in and around terrain features like gullies, scoops, sub-ridges, and cliff bands.
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High
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Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements
Thanks to the generous support of our local resorts and Ski Utah, discount lift tickets are now available. Support the UAC while you ski at the resorts this season. Tickets are available HERE.
Weather and Snow
The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports a chilly 1°F this morning, and there is 67 inches of total snow at the site. Winds out of the west-northwest are blowing about 20 mph at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, which reports a wind chill value of -27°F this morning.
A bit more snow yesterday improved backcountry riding on dust-on-crust and shallow powder and did little to change avalanche conditions. Tuesday night's strong easterly winds easily picked up light new snow from earlier in the week, and in some areas, drifts formed on preexisting weak faceted snow. The drifting created heightened avalanche conditions at mid and upper elevations, and two parties unintentionally triggered small avalanches of wind drifted snow on Wednesday. Yesterday's few inches of fresh snow will hide obvious signs of the midweek drifting from east winds, which created wind slabs in unusual places.
A couple different parties reported triggering small soft slab avalanches of wind drifted snow in the Bear River Range Wednesday.
  • Expect sunny skies and warming temperatures in the mountains today. 8500' high temperatures will be around 17°F, and light northwest winds will create wind chill values as low as -20°F this morning.
  • It will be clear tonight, and temperatures will drop to around 3°F, and with 5 to 10 mph southwest winds, the wind chill value will be as low as -9°F.
  • Expect increasing clouds tomorrow, with high temperatures around 28°F, and 11 to 14 mph southwest winds.
  • Looks like mostly sunny, fair weather, and warming temperatures are in store for the next few days, with the next chance for snow coming later in the week.
Recent Avalanches
Two unintentionally triggered avalanches were reported from Wednesday on north facing slopes above 8000'. 1)-A party of skiers remotely triggered from the ridge above a 10" deep and 150' wide pocket of drifted snow in the Mt. Naomi Wilderness. 2)-A rider was caught and carried a short distance and his sled overturned in a soft wind slab avalanche, "15" to 18" deep and 60' wide" a couple miles north of the ID state line in Franklin Basin.
This avalanche in the Mount Naomi Wilderness was remotely triggered from the ridge above. Remote triggering indicates a high likelyhood that the avalanche failed on faceted snow, now a buried persistent weak layer.
A rider was caught and carried a shot distance and his sled overturned in this small avalanche north of the Idaho State Line in Franklin Basin. Is this the canary in the coal mine?
Check out all the recent backcountry observations and avalanche reports from across Utah HERE
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Avalanche Problem #1
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Winds will be light today, and a few inches of fresh snow will hide drifts from earlier in the week. People could trigger slab avalanches of previously wind drifted snow in steep upper and mid elevation terrain. Tuesday night's east winds easily picked up fresh powder on the surface and deposited it on sugary faceted snow in deceleration zones. The drifting created stiff wind slabs in unusual, perhaps unexpected places, capping weak snow. Some wind slabs will remain unstable for a while because the sugary snow that they formed on is a buried persistent weak layer.
  • Avoid recently or previously drifted snow on steep slopes at mid and upper elevations on the lee side of ridges and in and around terrain features like sub-ridges, gullies, and cliff bands.
  • Avalanches of wind drifted snow failing on a persistent weak layer could be triggered remotely, from a distance, or below.
Chains of facets under a weakening sun-crust in the upper part of the snowpack. 2-25-2022
Avalanche Problem #2
Normal Caution
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Loose avalanches (or sluffs) of powder and recrystallized or faceted surface snow remain possible in terrain sheltered from the east winds, on very steep and sustained slopes.
  • Manage loose avalanches by staying out of constricting terrain, like drainage gullies, and moving out of the fall line so you don't get caught by your own sluff.
  • Avoid being caught and pulled into terrain traps below you like trees, gullies, or benches.
Loose avalanches or sluffs of new snow on the south shoulder of Naomi Peak. (2-22-2022)
Additional Information
  • Now is a great time to practice your avalanche rescue skills. Thanks to the generous support of Northstar, the Franklin Basin Beacon Training Park is up and running. The park is located directly west of the parking lot and is open for anyone to use. All you need is your beacon and probe. Please do not dig up the transmitters.
  • Always follow safe backcountry travel protocols. Go one person at a time in avalanche terrain, while the rest of your party watches from a safe area. (practice anytime while traveling on or under backcountry slopes steeper than 30°)
  • Check your avalanche rescue equipment, change your batteries, and practice often with your backcountry partners.
    Check slope angles, and to avoid avalanche terrain stay off of and out from under slopes steeper than 30° and adjacent slopes. Video Here
General Announcements
Special thank you to Polaris and Northstar...Video Here
Who's up for some free avalanche training? Get a refresher, become better prepared for an upcoming avalanche class, or just boost your skills. Go to https://learn.kbyg.org/ and scroll down to Step 2 for a series of interactive online avalanche courses produced by the UAC.
  • Check out all the upcoming education classes and clinics HERE.
  • Please submit your observations from the backcountry HERE.
This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. 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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