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Forecast for the Salt Lake Area Mountains

Evelyn Lees
Issued by Evelyn Lees on
Sunday morning, December 22, 2013

The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on mid and upper elevation, west through north through easterly facing slopes. Dangerous, deadly avalanche can be triggered by people on slopes approaching 35 degrees and steeper. Slides can be triggered from a distance and from below.

GO TO: There is excellent turning, riding and snow shoeing on lower angle slopes, less steep than about 35 degrees, in wind sheltered terrain. Backcountry travelers need excellent route finding and decision making skills. If you want to ski or board steep terrain, go get some vertical at one of the awesome Utah resorts.

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Special Avalanche Bulletin

THIS SPECIAL AVALANCHE BULLETIN IS FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN UTAH TO INCLUDE THE WESTERN UINTAS. DANGEROUS HUMAN TRIGGERED AVALANCHES MAY BE TRIGGERED IN STEEP WEST TO NORTH TO EAST FACING TERRAIN ABOVE 8000` IN ELEVATION. EXPERT ROUTE-FINDING IS REQUIRED FOR SAFE TRAVEL IN THE MOUNTAINS. THIS SPECIAL AVALANCHE ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THIS ADVISORY DOES NOT INCLUDE SKI AREAS OR HIGHWAYS WHERE AVALANCHE CONTROL IS NORMALLY DONE.

Special Announcements

The Utah Avalanche Center wishes you a safe and powder-filled holiday season. Please consider the UAC in your holiday giving plans - your donations pay for these advisories and we can't do this without your help. What is it worth to you every day to get an avalanche and mountain weather advisory? The cost of a beverage or the gas it takes to get up the canyon? You can donate here.

Weather and Snow

Under overcast skies, light snow is falling in the mountains, with only trace accumulations so far. Temperatures have dropped into the single digits and low teens, and the west to northwesterly winds are generally very light, with most station less than 10 mph.

I heard no complaints about the fresh powder, with reports of good turning, riding and snowshoeing conditions on low angle slopes.

Recent Avalanches

There were reports of 2 human triggered slides reported yesterday on northerly facing slopes – one was 2 feet deep by 200’ wide, a ways off the ridge line in upper Big Cottonwood, the other off the Patsy Marley ridgeline in upper Little Cottonwood (Kelly photo below, green arrow is the partial burial spot). Full observation HERE. These slides were above 9,500', and involved a faceted weak layer.

Avalanche reduction work at the resorts in the Salt Lake and Park City mountains once again produced large slides, especially in non-skier compacted terrain, on slopes above about 9,500’. While most were explosive triggered, some released with ski cuts or were triggered remotely from the ridge.

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The facets in our snowpack are much weaker than we are used to dealing with, and these super weak facet layers will be very slow to stabilize. Human triggered slides will be possible for days to come on the west through north through easterly facing slopes. There, many steep slopes are hanging in balance, just waiting for at trigger – which can be a person or you and your sled. These unmanageable slides can be triggered from a distance, from below, or by a smaller new snow slide, and can break out above you or on the second or third person.

The only option is to stay off of steep slopes facing the north end of the compass. Low angle terrain or southerly facing slopes offer safer options.

Additional Information

The mountains could pick up an inch or two of snow this morning, followed by low clouds and possible riming this afternoon and evening. The west to northwesterly winds will remain light throughout most of the terrain, with the only increase along the high ridges – into the 25 to 35 mph range. Temperatures will warm into the low 20s at 8,000’ and into the low teens at 10,000’. Periods of light snow, rime and freezing rain are possible through Monday as weak systems move through on a northwest flow. Then high pressure looks to gain control once again.

General Announcements

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.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry - especially if you are adjacent to a ski area – please call the following teams to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

Salt Lake and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033), Canyons Resort Dispatch (435-615-3322)

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

Sundance Dispatch (801-231-4150)

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

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

We'll soon be lining up a new automated emailed advisory delivery system - stay tuned.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides Blog/Itinerary for the Day. They'll be up and running later this winter -

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

Discount lift tickets are now available at Backcountry.com - Thanks to Ski Utah and the Utah Resorts. All proceeds go towards paying for Utah Avalanche Center avalanche and mountain weather advisories.

To those skinning uphill at resorts: it is your responsibility to know the resort policy on uphill travel. Some allow uphill travel and have guidelines, some don't. Contact the Ski Patrol at each resort for details. IMPORTANT: Before skinning 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.

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 or 800-662-4140, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

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