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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Wednesday morning, March 5, 2014

Heightened avalanche conditions exist and there is a MODERATE or Level 2 danger on many steep slopes in the Logan Area backcountry. Large cornice falls and triggered wind slab avalanches are possible in drifted upper elevation terrain. Entraining loose wet avalanches will become likely on steep sunny and lower elevation slopes as the day warms up. Although unlikely, dangerous deep slab avalanches are possible in some outlying, recently drifted and previously shallow, rocky areas. Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully, and continue to use safe backcountry travel protocols.

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Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
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Weather and Snow

The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports over ten feet of total snow (122 inches), containing 137% of average water content for the date. It's 28 degrees this morning, and the station reports a couple new inches of snow yesterday and 1/2 inch of water. The 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station reports 21 degrees and light westerly winds. A couple feet of heavy snow fell in the zone over the weekend, and you can find pretty good powder conditions everywhere up high. The snow is soft and very saturated at lower elevations.

This is what the bathrooms at the Tony Grove Campground look like buried under Ten Feet of snow. 3-3-2014


Recent Avalanches
  • Skiers intentionally triggered a large deep slab avalanche on a small test slope in Franklin Basin Saturday afternoon. The avalanche on a northeast facing slope at around 8100' in elevation was reported to be 3 feet deep and about 250' wide. It failed in old snow on a deeply buried persistent weak layer consisting of sugary faceted snow. Report HERE
  • Yesterday at upper elevations in the Mount Naomi Wilderness, backcountry skiers intentionally triggered a few shallow wind slabs with cornice drops, up to around a foot deep.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Cornice
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Avoid and stay out from under large and overhanging cornices along major ridge-lines, which are likely to break further back than you expect and might trigger avalanches on drifted slopes below. Large cornice-falls and triggered wind slab avalanches are possible in drifted upper elevation terrain today. Watch for and avoid stiffer drifted snow or potential wind slabs on the lee sides of major ridge lines and in and around terrain features like rock outcroppings, sub-ridges and gullies.

Avalanche Problem #2
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Loose Wet Avalanches, entraining significant piles of wet snow are likely on steep sun warmed slopes and in lower elevation terrain where the snow is soft and saturated. Avoid and stay out from under steep slopes with saturated snow during the heat of midday and be especially careful above trees, benches, or other terrain traps that you could be dragged into.

Easily triggered wet sluffs on mid-elevation test slopes in Providence Canyon. VIDEO

Avalanche Problem #3
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

The widespread weak faceted snow from the first half of the season snow appears dormant, for the most part and is so deeply buried and bridged now in most areas that It would be difficult for us to trigger a deep slab avalanche. Dangerous deep slab avalanches failing on faceted weak layers near the bottom of the snowpack are generally unlikely but still possible in some drifted, shallow, rocky, or previously wind-scoured terrain. The intentionally triggered deep slab on a small test slope in Franklin Basin on Saturday illustrates this potential.

Additional Information

We'll probably see a bit of sun today in the mountains, and expect 8500' high temperatures of around 37 degrees with gradually increasing moderate southwest wind. Southwest winds will intensify tonight, temperatures will stay fairly mild, around freezing, and there is a chance of snow showers late. The next Pacific storm will roll over the region late Thursday into Friday. Snow is likely tomorrow, with a chance of thunder, 3 to 5 inches of accumulation possible, southwest wind, and very mild temperatures, (high of 39 degrees at 9000").

Check out our one-stop weather page........HERE

General Announcements

Campsaver and The Utah Avalanche Center in Logan are teaming up to give away a avalanche rescue kit - beacon, shovel and probe!
That's almost $400 worth of essential backcountry gear! The more you share and like, the more chances you have of winning. Winner will be drawn at random early next week. Link is HERE

Show Us You Know the Snow: US & Canadian avy groups have a challenge to sidecountry riders: Use your camera to tell a short video story about how your crew gets ready to safely ride beyond the resort boundary. Videos will be posted & promoted by GoPro & other partners. The contest will run till Mar 21. The winner will be determined by a combination of most views & an expert panel. Prizes include: 2 days at Monashee Powder Snowcats, 2 4-day Gold Passes to any US resort, a Backcountry Access Float 22 airbag, gear from Backcountry.com, editing help and support from Sherpas Cinema, & more. Winners will be announced in late March. . Details at knowthesnow.com Please share this with your friends

A video look at a HUGE natural avalanche in the Wellsville Range, from 2-19-2014...........HERE

Check out "Beaver Backside is the Backcountry," an Avalanche observation video from 2-16-2014 .....HERE

A child's perspective on last week's natural wet avalanche above Zanavoo in Logan Canyon filmed on 2-17-2014 .......HERE

Discount lift tickets are available at Backcountry.com - Thanks to Ski Utah and the Utah Resorts, including Beaver Mountain. All proceeds go towards paying for Utah Avalanche Center avalanche and mountain weather advisories.

Utah Avalanche Center mobile app - Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools.

Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

Follow us at UAClogan on Twitter

I'll issue these advisories on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings.

This advisory is produced by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. It describes only general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.

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