Donate to the 2024 Spring Campaign to help rebuild the UAC website.

Forecast for the Uintas Area Mountains

Craig Gordon
Issued by Craig Gordon for
Saturday, January 19, 2019
IT'S GAME ON AND DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS EXIST
In the wind zone at and above treeline the avalanche danger is HIGH. Deep, dangerous, human triggered avalanches are LIKELY on all steep wind drifted slopes, especially those facing the north half of the compass and particularly those with an easterly component to their aspect.
In steep, shady terrain at mid elevations, you'll find CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger and human triggered avalanches are PROBABLE.
In either case, any avalanche that breaks into deeper buried weak layers near the ground will result in a scary and potentially unsurvivable avalanche.
MODERATE avalanche danger exists on steep, lower elevation slopes and human triggered avalanches are POSSIBLE.
Here's your exit strategy... simply head to big open meadows with no steep terrain above, adjacent, or connected to where you're traveling.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Avalanche Warning
THE FOREST SERVICE UTAH AVALANCHE CENTER IN SALT LAKE CITY HAS CONTINUED A BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE WARNING.
* TIMING...THROUGH 5 AM MST SUNDAY
* AFFECTED AREA...THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN UTAH INCLUDING THE BEAR RIVER RANGE, THE WESTERN UINTAS AND ALL OF THE WASATCH RANGE.
* AVALANCHE DANGER...THE AVALANCHE DANGER IS HIGH...HUMAN TRIGGERED AVALANCHES ARE LIKELY ON ALL STEEP SLOPES.
* REASON/IMPACTS...DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS CONTINUE...CREATED BY THE SNOW AND WIND FROM PREVIOUS STORMS. AVOID BEING ON OR UNDERNEATH STEEP SLOPES.
Special Announcements
Bad news out of the Manti-Skyline where an avalanche was triggered late yesterday and a skier is missing. Our collegue Brett Kobernik has a preliminary report posted here.
More details to follow today.
Weather and Snow
Thursday's big storm pounded the eastern front, stacking up 20"of snow with just over 2" of snow water equivilant (SWE)... huge numbers for the Uinta's. Skies cleared late last night and temperatures crashed into the single digits. Winds have been light overnight, but just started bumping into the 20's early this morning and blow out of the southwest. Riding and turning conditions are funky and dangerous up high, so the only place to be today is low elevation, low angle, wind sheltered terrain.
Above is hourly data from Trial Lake (9,945') and Windy Peak (10,662'). To view more regional weather stations click here.
JG was in Weber Canyon yesterday. His pit profile clearly identifies our problematic midpack issues. More on his travels here.
Recent Avalanches
The big storm brought a widespread avalanche cycle throughout the range on multiple aspects and elevations, including this sled triggered slide near Heber Mountain in the image above, breaking 2' deep x 200' wide.
Ad
Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Make no mistake.... these are dangerous conditions and the exact type of setup when most avalanche accidents occur.
Now, the most important thing is returning to our families at the end of the day and the way to accomplish this is by exercising some patience and allowing the snowpack to adjust to Thursday's onslaught of snow, water, and wind. It's no mystery what's going on here and recent snowpack history reveals that each time our pack has received a big thump of water, snow, and wind, dormant weak layers of snow roar back to life. What I saw Friday confirms this theory. Avalanches were breaking into midpack weak layers or even close to the ground, particularly in terrain facing the north half of the compass where the snowpack is thin and weak. Remember, all we need to do is find one weakness, maybe around a bush or rock that we can't see buried underneath the snow, collapse the pack, and now we've triggered a slide that quickly gets out of hand. So here's the deal... we've got to think about not only the snow riding in, but also the snow we're riding on.
Now here's where it gets complicated- this setup isn't going to magically heal itself overnight, so avoidence is the key for the next few days. Simply avoid being on, underneath, or connected to steep slopes, especially those facing the north half of the compass. And here's your exit strategy... great riding conditions exist on low angle, low elevation slopes facing the south half of the compass. Done and done.
The slide above was triggered yesterday from a distance and the debris instantly flushed through the trees, clearly illustrating immediate life changing consequences if you got caught and strained through these baseball bats.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Drifts along the leeward side of upper elevation ridges and around chutes and gullies are widespread, quite connected, and will break deeper and wider than you might expect. Today you'll want to utilize all the awareness tools in your quiver. Look for obvious clues to unstable snow like shooting cracks out in front of our skis, board, or sled. Also remember to avoid any fat, rounded piece of snow especially if it sounds hollow like a drum. And finally the hugest clue... recent avalanches on the same kind of terrain you want to ride on.
Road cuts are great test slopes where you can see how they react to your additional weight before committing to bigger terrain.
Avalanche Problem #3
New Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Just the sheer amount of fresh snow warrants a mention of new snow avalanches even down in lower elevation terrain. Heads up if you're walking the dog, going for a trail run, or a family snowshoe outing.
Additional Information
Clouds increase throughout the day and a few snow showers slide the region. West and northwest winds increase and blow into the 40's along the high ridges. Temperatures climb into the 30's with overnight lows dipping into the 20's. Increasing clouds, winds, and temperatures are on tap for Sunday. Another winter storm impacts the area early Monday into Tuesday bringing significant snow accumulations and windy conditions.
General Announcements
The information in this advisory expires 24 hours after the date and time posted, but will be updated by 7:00 AM Sunday January 20th, 2019.
If you're getting out and about, please let me know what you're seeing especially if you see or trigger and avalanche. I can be reached at [email protected] or 801-231-2170
It's also a good time to set up one of our very popular avalanche awareness classes. Reach out to me and I'll make it happen.
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.