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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed for
Saturday, March 12, 2022
Dangerous avalanche conditions and CONSIDERABLE danger exist at upper elevations and on mid elevation slopes facing northwest through southeast. People who venture into avalanche terrain are likely trigger dangerous 1 to 3 foot deep slab avalanches failing on a buried persistent weak layer of faceted snow. Human triggered wind slab avalanches are possible at all elevations and likely on all upper elevation slopes, especially those facing the eastern half of the compass. Loose wet avalanches of saturated surface snow are possible in sunny terrain. Avalanche accidents are likely in the backcountry this weekend!

  • Continue to avoid and stay out from under drifted slopes steeper than 30°, especially those facing the north half of the compass.
  • Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision making are essential.
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Special Avalanche Bulletin
Unusually late winter avalanche conditions exist and avalanche danger remains elevated.
Deep, dangerous, and potentially deadly slides breaking several feet deep and hundreds of feet wide can be triggered from a distance and low on the slope.
Avoid being on, near, or below all steep north and east facing slopes.
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
Very nice powder conditions exist in the backcountry, and you can find nice riding on slopes at all elevations, even on sunny slopes. During the week, copious heavy snow and drifting from fairly strong west winds overloaded slopes with buried persistent weak layers consisting of sugary faceted snow. Natural avalanches were common across the Logan Zone during the storm, dangerous avalanche conditions persist on many slopes, and people could trigger dangerous avalanches this weekend if they venture into steep terrain.
At long last, very nice powder riding conditions can be found in the backcountry. You can avoid avalanche terrain by staying off and out from under slopes steeper than 30°

The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports 23°F this morning, and there is 74 inches of total snow at the site, with 86% of normal SWE for the date. The storm total from this week's storm was around 20 inches, with 1.9" SWE. Winds out of the west increased yesterday and are still blowing about 25 mph at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station. With plenty of nice powder to blow around at upper elevations, the westerly winds drifted snow into avalanche starting zones creating fresh wind slabs and continuing to load suspect slopes with poor snow structure.

  • It will be nice and sunny today in the mountains. Expect high temperatures at 8500' around 36°F, with continuing 15 to 20 mph west winds.
  • Expect increasing clouds tonight, with low temperatures around 19°F, and 15 to 20 mph southwest winds.
  • Snow is expected tomorrow, with 3 to 5 inches of accumulation at upper elevqtions, a high temperature around 30°F and 20 to 25 mph southwest winds, gusting into the 40s.
Recent Avalanches
  • Yesterday, a skier was caught and carried around 200' by an avalanche on a southeast facing slope at around 8000' in Rattlesnake Canyon in the Wellsville Mountain Wilderness
  • Riders triggered several wind slab avalanches, some remotely, in the Central Bear River Range Thursday and yesterday.
  • Natural avalanches were common in the Logan Zone during this week's storm, with evidence of some fairly large avalanches visible Thursday with clearing.
  • Parties in the Logan Zone reported numerous red flags in the backcountry this week, including audible collapsing and cracking in some areas.
  • A skier triggered a scary slab avalanche that failed on a sugary persistent weak layer Tuesday evening in the the Dog Leg avalanche path in Providence Canyon.

Yesterday, we observed lots of natural activity including a couple good sized natural avalanches in the Wellsville Mountain Wilderness, which were quite visible from Cache Valley.
Riders triggered this small slab avalanche yesterday in Christmas Tree Bowl, just north of Naomi Peak.
As the storm came in Tuesday afternoon, a skier triggered this impressive soft slab avalanche that failed on a buried persistent weak layer in Provudence Canyon.

Check out all the recent backcountry observations and many recent avalanche reports from across Utah HERE
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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
The fresh snow is creating a more cohesive slab on widespread preexisting layers of very weak faceted snow. In many areas the overload of heavy new snow could be enough to activate these layers and cause dangerous slab avalanches. On slopes facing the north half of the compass, people are likely to trigger soft slab avalanches failing on a buried persistent weak layer. Persistent weak layers consisting of faceted snow sandwiched between crusts exist in some more sunny terrain, and some may be becoming active now as they are overloaded by drifted snow. Red flags of snow instability are apparent in the backcountry, avalanches have been observed locally, and we've received reports of extensive audible collapses and cracking.
  • Avalanches could be triggered remotely or from a distance.
  • Collapsing and cracking are red flags indicating unstable snow and a persistent weak layer.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
West winds increased Thursday night, and there was plenty of nice powder to drift about. The winds were plenty strong enough to create significant drifts and sensitive soft slabs up to a couple feet deep, and drifts will continue building today. Drifting is overloading slopes with buried persistent weak layers and increasing the depth and weight of a developing slab layer. Avalanches of wind drifted snow are possible on slopes at all elevations, but are most likely at upper elevations on northeast, east, and southeast facing slopes.
  • Avoid fresh drifts on the lee side of major ridges and in and around terrain features like around and below cliff bands, gully walls, and sub-ridges.
Avalanche Problem #3
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Loose dry avalanches (or sluffs) of fresh snow remain likely in sheltered terrain on very steep slopes at all elevations. Despite the recent cold, when the intense March sun pops out today, it could saturate the fresh snow surface and it could make the snow sticky and prone to sluffing on sunny slopes. On sustained slopes, moist sluffs could pile up deeply, especially in terrain traps like gullies, sinks, and benches.
  • 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, sinks, or benches.
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.