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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Wednesday morning, December 25, 2024
Merry Christmas!
The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on northerly facing slopes at upper elevations. People could trigger dangerous slab avalanches failing on a persistent weak layer buried one to three feet deep. Avalanches could be triggered remotely (from a distance) or from below! Heightened conditions are found on most other snow-covered slopes steeper than 30°.
Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision-making are required for safe backcountry travel. People should continue to avoid drifted upper-elevation slopes.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements
Now is a great time to dial in your safety gear including putting fresh new batteries in your beacons! Local shops across the state will be handing out free Batteries for Beacons now until February 1, 2025. All you need to do is fill out a quick survey and grab the AAA or AA batteries you need to keep your beacon fresh this season. Find participating shops and more info HERE.
Weather and Snow
Merry White Christmas in Logan! We're waking up to a little fresh snow in Cache Valley, so rejoice and enjoy the refreshed scenery...
A few inches of moist snow on Monday improved both the scenery and the riding conditions in the backcountry, but the snow is still quite shallow and unsupportable. So, it's easy to hit shallowly buried land mines, and we've had reports of significant damage to sleds caused by riding off-trail. Smooth meadows and grassy low-angle slopes in sheltered terrain offer the best powder riding options.
This week, the avalanche situation is tricky and particularly dangerous in the Bear River Range. Stability has improved since last week, and observers report few or no obvious signs of instability. However, a persistent weak layer of sugary faceted snow is widespread in upper-elevation terrain, and most slopes are plagued by very poor snow structure. Remotely triggered avalanches remain possible, and dangerous avalanches might be triggered from flat terrain below steep slopes. On the other hand, a dangerous avalanche may wait until a rider gets out in the middle of the slab before it releases. The best way to avoid getting caught is to stay off and out from under slopes steeper than about 30°.
-The Tony Grove Snotel reported 5 inches of heavy new snow on Monday. It's 29° F, with 35 inches of total snow at 8400 feet in elevation.
-Winds on Logan Peak diminished a bit and veered from the west overnight, now blowing 10 to 20 mph from the west-northwest. It's 22° F at 9700 feet in elevation.
-It's 25° F at 8800 feet at our Card Canyon station, with about a half inch of new snow this morning, and 30 inches of total snow.
-On Paris Peak at 9500 feet in Bloomington Canyon, it is 20° F with west-southwest winds blowing 5 to 10 mph.
Expect mostly cloudy skies today, with a few snowflakes in the air this morning. High temperatures at 8500 feet will peak near 28° F this morning and drop several degrees during the day. Winds will blow from the northwest 8 to 11 mph. Snow is likely to begin falling early tomorrow morning.
It appears as though we will be heading into a classic Utah Storm cycle, with plenty of snow in the forecast. Snowfall tomorrow could be heavy at times, with 6 to 10 inches of accumulation possible up high, Expect a high temperature around 26° F. and winds from the southwest blowing 8 to 14 mph. It looks like stormy weather and copious snowfall will continue Thursday night and Friday, and on through the weekend and into next week. Expect a significant increase in backcountry avalanche danger in the mountains of northern Utah, as heavy snow and drifting overload slopes with widespread persistent weak layers and poor snow structure.
For more information, visit the UAC weather page here: Weather - Utah Avalanche Center
For Logan-specific weather, go here: Logan Mountain Weather - Utah Avalanche Center
Recent Avalanches
-Two local riders (brothers) had a very close call with a large avalanche in Steep Hollow in Franklin Basin. The avalanche is perhaps 2 feet deep and 500 feet wide. It occurred on a northeast-facing slope at around 9000 feet in elevation. The preliminary accident report is HERE
-Rain-on-snow caused numerous natural wet avalanches Monday afternoon at lower elevations (N--W slopes around and <7000'), gouging shallow snow to the ground, into the Logan River, and in Beaver Canyon across from the Beav's backside. A few new wide slides were observed yesterday including activity in the Dugway section of Logan Canyon.
-You can read all recent local observations HERE.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Very weak, sugary, faceted snow exists on almost all northerly-facing slopes at upper and mid-elevations. On slopes steeper than 30°, people could trigger dangerous slab avalanches one to three feet deep, failing on the widespread persistent weak layer. Avalanches remain likely on drifted upper-elevation slopes, and are possible on slopes facing W-N-E at upper and mid-elevations, even in sheltered terrain. Low elevation and many southerly facing slopes were mostly bare of snow or had only shallow coverage before this past week's storms.
  • Recent avalanches, shooting cracks, and collapsing (whumpfs) are signs of unstable snow. These are "Red Flags," and you should reevaluate your plans if you encounter them in the backcountry.
  • Avalanches today could be triggered remotely (from a distance) or from below.
  • A ride in even a small avalanche would be perilous due to shallowly buried rocks, stumps, and downed trees.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Winds blowing from the south were fairly strong yesterday, and avalanches of wind-drifted snow are possible in upper-elevation terrain. the wind drifted Monday's fresh snow into lee slope deposition areas off the major ridges. Drifting formed shallow wind slabs in exposed terrain and in and around terrain features like cliff bands, sub-ridges, gullies, and scoops. In some cases, the new wind slabs may have overloaded slopes hanging in a delicate balance, and larger avalanches stepping down to the widespread buried persistent weak layer are possible.
People should avoid travel in drifted upper-elevation terrain steeper than 30°
Avalanche Problem #3
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Rain saturated the snow on lower-elevation slopes on Monday, and caused numerous natural wet avalanches around and below about 7000' in Logan Canyon. A few more small, natural wet avalanches occurred yesterday. Today, although less likely, more wet avalanches are possible, and people should avoid being on or under slopes with saturated snow steeper than 30°.
Additional Information
Here is a short video showing an extended column test from Monday's field day in Steep Hollow...
Here's a picture of yesterday's avalanche in Steep Hollow. The rider was side-hilling from left to right when he triggered the avalanche. The tracks escape out of the slide on it's north flank on onto a more southerly-facing slope.
A sled was mostly buried in the avalanche. One of the riders was completely buried but was recovered by his fast-acting brother using a transceiver to get close enough to see a couple fingers sticking out of the snow.
General Announcements
-National Forest Winter Recreation Travel Maps show where it's open to ride: UWCNF Logan, Ogden LRD Tony Grove, Franklin Basin CTNF Montpelier
-Sign up for forecast region-specific text message alerts. You will receive messages about changing avalanche conditions, watches, and warnings...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.
-Remember that the Tony Grove Road is not maintained for winter driving. Treacherous snow-covered and icy conditions will be encountered.
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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