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Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Evelyn Lees
Issued by Evelyn Lees on
Friday morning, December 25, 2015

The Avalanche Danger is HIGH in upper and mid elevation terrain facing northerly through easterly, where large avalanches breaking to the ground and running long distances could be triggered by a person. Avalanches can still be triggered remotely from a distance and from below. Most other slopes steeper than about 30 degrees have a CONSIDERABLE danger, with the lowest danger on southerly facing slopes at the lower elevations.

Provo – most of the Provo ice climbs are in avalanche paths – large natural avalanches can release from above and travel 1000’s of feet down over the climbs.

Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements

WE HAVE ALLOWED THE AVALANCHE WARNING FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL UTAH TO EXPIRE FOR ALL AREAS EXCEPT THE PROVO AREA MOUNTAINS. THE AVALANCHE WARNING FOR THE PROVO AREA MOUNTAINS WILL BE IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM MST SATURDAY.

Weather and Snow

The final storm of a powder filled week came through overnight. The Provo area mountains got hammered with 14 to 19” of new snow in less than 8 hours. Elsewhere, 4 to 5 inches fell in the Cottonwoods and on the Park City side, and a trace to 2” in the Ogden area mountains. It is still snowing lightly, and winds are almost calm this morning, with just a slight breeze from the northwest. Temperatures are in the teens and single digits.

Recent Avalanches

With decent visibility yesterday, photos and reports of the natural avalanche cycle came rolling in. Huge swaths of the PC ridgeline released to the ground, and significant deep slides occurred through out the Cottonwoods. Activity was more limited and pockety in the Ogden area mountains, though we have fewer observations. I imagine the Provo area mountains had another natural cycle during the peak of the storm last night. Avalanche reduction work in the Salt Lake and Park City mountains continued to release slides into old snow near the ground with explosives, ski cuts and remotely. Upper elevation north and northeasterly facing slopes had the most action, though avalanches released around the compass and at the mid and lower elevations, too.

Ogden 12/24/2015 Observation: Cutler Ridge Kory Details
Ogden 12/23/2015 Avalanche: Cutler Ridge Bill Brandt Details
Ogden 12/23/2015 Observation: Cutler Ridge Derek DeBruin Details
Ogden 12/21/2015 Avalanche: Ogden Canyon Everett Details

Powder Park/Desolation area, SLC Steven Sadler photo Meadow Chutes, BCC Mark While photo


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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Dangerous avalanche conditions continue to exist – any slope that has not obviously slid recently is suspect. Many slopes have been left hanging, and large avalanches breaking to the ground can still be triggered today from on slope or from a distance. With the sugary facets near the ground as the weak layer, the avalanche may wait until you are mid slope before breaking well above you or not release until the 2nd or even 5th person travels onto the slope. In addition, slopes that slid early in the storm have reloaded and are suspect, as they could avalanche again.

Heading into the backcountry? You must have the skills and knowledge to avoid all avalanche terrain (slopes steeper than about 30 degrees), including avalanche run out zones, historic avalanche paths and slopes adjacent and connected to steeper terrain. Conservative decision-making is a must.

Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Yesterday’s moderate southerly winds drifted snow for about 8 to 12 hours onto the more northerly facing slopes, and you will still be able to trigger these new wind drifts today. Once you get a wind drift or the new snow moving, it has the potential to break to the ground. Small, steep features such as road banks, creek and ravine walls and house roofs can avalanche, with debris piling up deep enough to bury a person.

Additional Information

Though the storm is rapidly winding down, an additional 5 to 8 inches of snow is possible, mostly south of I-80 in areas favored by northwest flow. The almost calm northwesterly winds will increase today, into the 10 to 20 mph range in the higher terrain, with gusts to 30 mph. Temperatures will remain cold, in the single digits at 10,000’. A high-pressure ridge will build in for the weekend, with temperatures rapidly warming on Sunday

General Announcements

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, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

To get help in an emergency (to launch a rescue) in the Wasatch, call 911. Be prepared to give your GPS coordinates or the run name. Dispatchers have a copy of the Wasatch Backcountry Ski map.

Backcountry Emergencies. It outlines your step-by-step method in the event of a winter backcountry incident.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry, but no one is hurt and you do not need assistance, please notify the nearest ski area dispatch to avoid a needless response by rescue teams. Thanks.

Salt Lake and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033), Canyons Resort/PCMR Dispatch (435)615-1911

Snowbasin Resort Dispatch (801-620-1017), Powder Mountain Dispatch (801-745-3772 x 123).

Sundance Dispatch (801-223-4150)

EMAIL ADVISORY If you would like to get the daily advisory by email you will need to subscribe here.​

DAWN PATROL Hotline updated daily by 5-530am - 888-999-4019 option 8.

Twitter Updates for your mobile phone - DETAILS

UDOT canyon closures: LINK TO UDOT, or on Twitter, follow @UDOTavy, @CanyonAlerts or @AltaCentral

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

Powderbird Helicopter Skiing - Blog/itinerary for the day

Lost or Found something in the backcountry? - http://nolofo.com/

Ski Utah mobile snow updates

To those skinning uphill at resorts: it is your responsibility to know the resort policy on uphill travel. You can see the uphill travel policy for each resort here. IMPORTANT: Before skinning or hiking at a resort under new snow conditions, check in with Ski Patrol. Resorts can restrict or cut off access if incompatible with control and grooming operations.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you shop from Backcountry.com or REI: Click this link for Backcountry.com or this link to REI, shop, and they will donate a percent of your purchase price to the UAC. Both offer free shipping (with some conditions) so this costs you nothing!

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on ebay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your ebay account here and click on ebay gives when you buy or sell. You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny.

This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.

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