Forecast: Ogden Area Mountains - Utah Avalanche Center

Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Issued by Greg Gagne for
Monday, March 21, 2022

A 'scary' MODERATE danger exists on steep northwest to north to east facing aspects at all elevations. You can trigger avalanches 1-3' deep and you can trigger avalanches from a distance or from below. The danger is more pronounced on north to northeast-facing slopes at the mid-elevations.

There is also a MODERATE danger on all aspects at the upper elevations where there are pockets of wind-drifted snow.

Cool temperatures and northerly winds should keep the snow surface cool, but loose wet avalanches may be possible on steep southerly aspects.

Low

Moderate

Considerable

High

Extreme

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Special Announcements

A new piece called " A Reckoning " talks about the recent string of human-triggered avalanches. (If you missed the essay Deus Ex Machina, published just at the onset of close calls and accidents, you'll find it HERE)

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Weather and Snow

Snowfall from Sunday is 2-4".

This Morning: Temperatures are in the teens and the northerly winds are light (less than 10 mph) with gusts in the 20's at the upper-most elevations

Today: Mostly sunny skies with temperatures rising into the upper 20's and low 30's . Winds will be northerly, gusting into the 20's mph at upper elevations.

Travel is easy with excellent coverage, particularly in the southern end of the Ogden zone. Most southerly aspects have lost snow coverage at the low elevations.

Recent Avalanches

Thanks to all of those who have submitted reports and observations, particularly when avalanches occur: these help paint the most accurate picture of what's going on in the backcountry.

No recent avalanche activity reported from the Ogden mountains. To our north there was a snowmobiler who was caught, carried, and partially-buried in an avalanche in Crescent Lake Canyon in Franklin Basin.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

Triggering avalanches 1-3' deep on steep slopes facing northwest through north and east at all elevations is possible, failing on a persistent weak layer (PWL) that formed during the January/February drought. These avalanches may be triggered remotely - from a distance or from below. An observation from Richie Schumacher North Fork Park shows the presence of the PWL on Ben Lomond.

Although there have not been any recent avalanches failing on this PWL in the Ogden mountains, Sunday's avalanche in the Logan mountains appeared to fail on this PWL and there has been continued avalanche activity on the PWL in the Salt Lake mountains, such as this reported avalanche occurrence from Saturday in Cardiff Fork on a northeast aspect at 9,000':

The only strategy for dealing with this tricky and dangerous avalanche problem is to avoid steep slopes facing northwest to north and east at all elevations.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

Although any sensitivities from Sunday's storm snow should have settled out, you may find pockets of sensitive wind-drifted snow at the upper elevations. These fresh wind drifts may run long distances on slopes with smooth crusts underneath.

General Announcements

Who's up for some free avalanche training? Get a refresher, become better prepared for an upcoming avalanche class, or just boost your skills. Go to https://learn.kbyg.org/ and scroll down to Step 2 for a series of interactive online avalanche courses produced by the UAC.

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This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. 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.

Observations and Avalanches

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