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Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Paige Pagnucco
Issued by Paige Pagnucco on
Saturday morning, March 11, 2017

The avalanche danger is LOW this morning but will rise to MODERATE for wet loose sluffs today. With direct sunlight and rapid warming, wet avalanches will be possible first on east then south then west as well as low elevation north facing slopes. Signs of instability like dampening snow and rollerballs are signs to avoid steep slopes as well as the run out zones below.

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

Spring Special: We have a few donated Snowbird, Snowbasin, Solitude, and Brighton discount lift tickets left and have just lowered the price. Ski a day and benefit the Utah Avalanche Center! Order here.

The Wasatch Powderkeg will be held Friday and Saturday, Mar 10 and 11, at Brighton as a benefit for the Utah Avalanche Center, featuring a Ski Mountaineering Sprint race on Friday afternoon and a longer race Saturday with Race, recreation, and youth courses and divisions. There will also be Companion Rescue, Terrain Strategies, Splitboarding, Steep Skiing and Riding, and Mountaineering Techniques for Skiers and Snowboarders skills clinics Saturday taught by local pros. There will be a drawing for great gear including boots and winner's choice of skis or a splitboard mid-day Saturday. Details here.

Weather and Snow

Temperatures this morning are the coolest they've been in a few days. Ben Lomond (8000') is 35 F, Monte Cristo (8960') is 28 F, and Powder Mt. (8897') is 28 F. Winds are 10-15 mph out of the northwest. Skies are mostly clear.

Last night's cool down will hopefully improve riding conditions though you should still expect to find a variety of surface conditions. Smooth slopes may provide some good corn snow until they warm up too much.

Recent Avalanches

Observers noted minor pushalanche activity yesterday.

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Avalanche Problem #1
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Cooler overnight temperatures have helped the snow to set up so finding decent corn snow may be a real possibility, at least until the sun and rapid warming start to affect the snow. Temperatures are forecast to near 42 F at 8500' so wet activity will become a possibility as the snow becomes damp.

Wet loose sluffs will be possible to trigger on steep, warm, saturated slopes. These avalanches will start first on east, then south and then west with low elevation north facing slopes becoming damp as well. Once moving, wet loose slides may run further than expected and entrain more snow on their downward journey. Watch for dampening snow, roller balls and small sluffs, often initiating off rocks and cliff bands, all warning signs it’s time to head to lower angle slopes or a different, cooler aspect.


Loose wet avalanche debris near Ben Lomond. (pc:DeBruin)

Avalanche Problem #2
Cornice
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Enormous cornices along the ridge lines are more likely to release with warm temperatures at any time of day or night. Stay way back from the edges of the cornices and minimize any time spent beneath these monsters.

Avalanche Problem #3
Normal Caution
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Even when it's spring and the avalanche danger is fairly predictable, it's still important to practice safe travel protocols when moving through avalanche terrain. Only expose one person at a time while everyone else watches from a safe zone. Continue to carry a beacon, shovel, and probe. Always pay attention to what's above you as well.

Additional Information

A beautiful day is forecast for the Ogden area. Mostly sunny skies, mountain temps in the 40's, and mild winds moving around to the south by late morning should give you ample incentive to head to the hills. Clouds will increase later in the day ahead of a small disturbance moving through tonight. High pressure builds back in until at least mid-week bringing ample sunny skies and continued warmth.

General Announcements

Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please help us out 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 request 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.

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 critical to know the resort policy on uphill travel. You can see the uphill travel policy for each resort here.

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 occur.
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