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Forecast for the Uintas Area Mountains

Craig Gordon
Issued by Craig Gordon on
Thursday morning, January 23, 2020
In the wind zone, at and above treeline, you'll encounter MODERATE avalanche danger. Human triggered avalanches are POSSIBLE on steep, wind drifted slopes, especially those with an easterly component to its aspect.
Here's the outlier- while becoming harder to initiate, human triggered avalanches breaking into deeper, buried weak layers remains a distinct possibility. Usual suspects include- steep, rocky, upper elevation terrain facing the north half of the compass. Remember- any slide that breaks to old snow will immediately ruin your day.
Lose a little elevation and you lose most of the problem. Wind sheltered, low and mid elevation slopes with no steep terrain above or adjacent to where you're riding offers LOW avalanche danger and human triggered avalanches are UNLIKELY.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements
We are very sad to report an avalanche fatality that happened Saturday above Farmington Canyon. An 18 year old, male snowmobiler was caught, fully buried and killed. Details available HERE. Our deepest condolences go out to the friends, family, rescuers, and everyone affected by this tragic accident.
Weather and Snow
Currently-
Yesterday's little storm was a nice reset, delivering an evenly distributed 5" of medium density snow across the range. West and northwest winds were a nuisance for most of Wednesday, but they began relaxing around midnight and currently blow in the 20's and 30's along the high ridges. Under partly cloudy skies, temperatures register in the teens and mid 20's.
Uinta weather network info is found here. Simply click on the Western Uinta tab.
With total snow depths hovering right around 60", coverage across the range is all time. Riding and turning conditions remain quite good, especially on wind and sun sheltered slopes. Andy and Bo got out and got after it Monday, covering miles and miles of terrain, and have a great trip report posted here.
For today-
Scattered snow showers linger through the morning and we may stack up another couple of flakes before high pressure moves in and skies clear. Temperatures climb into the low 30's with overnight lows in the teens. West-northwest winds blow in the 20's and 30's, with a few gusts in the 40's along the high ridges.
Futurecast-
Another quick hitting storm slides through the region Friday with high pressure rebuilding for Saturday.
Recent Avalanches
No significant avalanche activity to report.
To view additional trip reports and recent avalanche activity, simply click here.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
While becoming more the exception rather than the rule, today, we can still trigger a deep, dangerous slide like the one in the image above triggered last week near Tabiona.
The snowpack is just like us in the winter... it likes warmth. And the recent string of warm days, brings slow change over time, helping the snowpack settle and gain strength. In addition, this combo decreases the chance of triggering a deep, scary avalanche... and that's good news. However, we're not quite out of the woods just yet and I still think steep, rocky, upper elevation terrain facing the north half of the compass remains suspect. So, while so much of our terrain is good to go, if you're travels take you to steep, technical slopes today, think about your exit strategy and the consider the consequences of triggering a slide that has the potential to break deeper and wider than you might expect. Or.... with all the good riding out there and miles of terrain to choose from, simply avoid slopes with these characteristics.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Follow the wind direction and you'll know where recent wind drifts formed. The data set in the image above from Windy Peak (10,662') illustrates a 24 hour time span.
With a few inches of snow to work with, recent winds whipped up a fresh batch of drifts that'll react to our additional weight. Most prevalent on the leeward side of upper elevation ridges, you may also find a fresh drift or two around terrain features like chutes or gullies. Remember- the Uinta's are a big place and wind channels through the mountains in unique, terrain driven fashion. While more the exception than the rule, a rogue wind slab could break deeper and wider than you might expect, creating a slide that quickly gets out of hand. Your best bet for avoidance is to simply steer clear of any fat, rounded piece of snow, especially if it sounds hollow like a drum.
Shooting cracks out in front of your skis, board, or sled are big red flags and a huge clue to unstable snow.
Additional Information
Thanks to the generous support of our Utah ski resorts and Ski Utah, we have discount lift tickets available. All proceeds support the UAC. Get your tickets HERE.
Get one of these cool t-shirts to support the UAC and other avalanche centers across the U.S. INFO
General Announcements
The information in this forecast expires in 24 hours, but will be updated by 7:00 AM Friday Jan. 24th.
This forecast is updated daily by 7:00 AM.
In the mean-time, if you see or trigger an avalanche or just wanna let me know what you're seeing you can reach me directly at 801-231-2170
It'll be a minute or two before we're riding, but while you're waiting....
This is a great time of year to schedule one of our free avy awareness presentations.
You can email me directly [email protected]
The information in this forecast is from the US Forest Service which is solely responsible for its content.
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