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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed for
Tuesday, March 29, 2022
Dangerous wet avalanche conditions exist, and there is CONSIDERABLE danger at mid and upper elevations on northerly facing slopes steeper than 30°. Natural avalanches are possible, and people could trigger dangerous wet slab avalanches up to three feet deep and a couple hundred feet wide. Loose wet avalanches entraining large piles of saturated snow remain possible in steep terrain at all elevations. Below freezing temperatures are expected tonight in the mountains, which will help to stabilize the loose wet snow.
*Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision making are essential for safe backcountry travel.
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Weather and Snow
Dangerous avalanche conditions exist, and there are areas with unstable snow, especially on upper and mid-elevation slopes facing the north half of the compass. Although mostly damp now, weak sugary faceted snow still exists on northerly facing slopes creating poor snow structure, and people are likely to trigger dangerous avalanches if they venture into this terrain again today. Way too warm temperatures in the past few days caused elevated conditions for wet avalanches at all elevations. Wet loose and wet slab avalanches are possible, with wet slabs most likely in very steep terrain around or under cliff bands. The snow in the backcountry is sloppy wet and unsupportable in many places, and you post hole a couple feet into slushy snow if you get off your sled.
Natural wet slab avalanches occurred over the weekend in Shumway Canyon in the Wellsville Mountain Wilderness. Avalanche on the right is from Saturday, and the one on the left is from Sunday morning.
The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports an inch of new snow overnight. It's 32°F this morning, and there is 60 inches (or five feet) of total snow at the site, containing 73% of normal SWE for the date. Southwest winds are blowing around 20 mph at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, where 28°F is the current temperature this morning.
  • Today, snow showers are likely in the afternoon and some thunder is possible. An inch or so may accumulate on upper elevation slopes. Expect high temperatures at 8500' around 42°F and 10 to 20 mph northwest winds with gusts in the mid thirties.
  • Tonight, snow showers may continue and thunder is possible. Expect partly cloudy skies, temperatures dropping to around 20°F, with blustery north winds blowing 15 to 22 mph, gusting into the mid thirties.
  • Tomorrow will be sunny, with high temperatures near 43°F and 15 to 20 mph winds blowing from the north-northwest.
  • Unsettled, cooler, and more seasonal weather is expected to continue through the week, with a chance for a few inches of snow coming on Thursday night.
Recent Avalanches
A fresh natural slab avalanche in Bird Canyon was visible from across Cache Valley Saturday afternoon.
  • Despite poor viewing conditions and flat light, we could see numerous significant fresh wet avalanches in the Bear River and Wellsville Ranges yesterday...
  • We observed several sizable fresh natural avalanches this weekend in the Wellsville Mountain Wilderness. Both wet loose and wet slab avalanches are quite visible from across Cache Valley.
  • A reported large avalanche occurred early last week in Steam Mill Canyon on a steep northeast facing slope at 9600'. The trigger is unknown but the avalanche measured approximately 2' deep and 900' wide. It failed on the same widespread, buried persistent weak layer. Report is HERE.
  • Last weekend people triggered a handful of dangerous slab avalanches that failed on our widespread buried persistent weak layer consisting of loose, sugary faceted snow.
A rider was mostly buried and he and his bent and broken sled had to be excavated by companions in an avalanche accident last Sunday in Crescent Lake Canyon, in the Franklin Basin area just south of the Idaho state line.
Check out all the recent backcountry observations and many recent avalanche reports from across Utah HERE.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Wet Slab Avalanches: You should consider changing your plans if you had big mountain objectives in mind.
On slopes facing the north half of the compass it is possible people will trigger dangerous (wet) slab avalanches failing on a sugary, buried persistent weak layer, which is now pretty moist in most places. Unstable snow exists on slopes plagued by this buried persistent weak layer. The warmth softened existing slabs and crust layers, and increased creep and glide rates, which caused natural wet slab avalanches to become possible and triggered avalanches likely in steep terrain.
This large natural wet slab avalanche in the "Picture Window" area of Pine Canyon appears to have occurred on Sunday morning, since we did not see it with the glass on Saturday afternoon.
In most areas temperatures stayed well above freezing again overnight, and wet loose avalanches remain likely in the backcountry today. A bit of rain may soak the already saturated snow at lower elevations and mountain temperatures will rise into the mid forties during the day. When the snow surface becomes damp or unsupportable, it's time to head home. Watch for signs of heat-related instability like rollerballs, pinwheels, or sluffs of saturated surface snow. Wet slushy snow is generally unstable on steep slopes.
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.
  • 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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