https://utahavalanchecenter.org/observations/36601 Episode 3 of the UAC podcast is live. We talk with UDOT Avalanche Program Supervisor Bill Nalli on how he and his teams keep the Greatest Snow on Earth from avalanching over the open roads and highways of the state. Check it out on ITunes, Stitcher, the UAC blog, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The UAC Marketplace is online. The holiday auction is closed, but our online marketplace still has deals on skis, packs, airbag packs, beacons, snowshoes, soft goods and much more.
Snow totals from last week totaled around a foot. Little by little it's adding up but coverage still remains quite thin. Snow depths range from about 18"- 36" but some sun exposed slopes had been burned off to the ground prior to last week's snowfall and less than a foot exists in these areas. Reed Kennard was up on Sunday and managed to find a few turns. Read his report here.
Skies are cloudy this morning and the story is the wind. Blowing from the SSE, ridge top winds have averaged 30 mph with gusts in the 50's for the last 12 hours. It's currently 26 degrees at the Geyser Pass Trailhead and 13 on Pre Laurel Peak.
Base depth at Geyser Pass Trailhead: 20"
Base depth in Gold Basin: 27"
New snow totals in Gold Basin.
Snow totals at the Geyser Pass Trailhead, (9600')
Wind, temperature, and humidity on Pre Laurel Peak (11,700')
Road conditions to Geyser Pass Trailhead: The road is a mix of bare ground, ice and packed snow.
Grooming conditions: There are no current plans to groom ahead of the approaching storm.
Skiing and riding in the woods is still a risky proposition.
Upper elevation, north facing terrain is finally starting to look like it has a enough snow for turning. The problem is, this is precisely the kind of terrain where you could find avalanche problems. More on that below. Dave Garcia photo.