Please join me on Friday Dec. 13th at 6:30 for a free avalanche awareness presentation in partnership with Wasatch County SAR. It's guaranteed to be entertaining, informative, and I'll share safety tips that allow you to rip powder safely and come home to your families at the end of the day.... pretty good deal... huh?
Huge thanks to Mike Poulsen and all the crew at Tri-City in partnership with Polaris for the continued support they offer the UAC. Here, Mike hands the keys of two loaner sleds over to Mark and Craig for the 2019-2020 winter season.
Yesterday's storm took the scenic route, focusing on the southern half of the state. As a result, the Uinta's didn't get the memo and just 3" of heavy, dense snow stacked up along the high peaks. Easterly winds blow in the teens along the high peaks and temperatures are in the mid 20's. The bad news is... the snowpack has taken a hard hit the past two weeks, shrinking right before our eyes. The badder news is... there's hardly enough snow to move around on and in the absence of additional snow, our shallow pack loses its strength, transforming into a very weak, sugary mess. This makes for a potentially dangerous setup once winter decides to return from its hiatus.
Ted was around Whitney Basin last week and found upper elevation, shady terrain holding snow from the early and mid October storms. While the other half of the compass offers late Autumn trail riding.
It'll be a minute or two before we're riding, but in the mean time here's a few things to remember:
JUST 'CAUSE YOU CAN SEE YOUR RIG PARKED BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THE SLOPE YOU CHOOSE TO RIDE MORE SAFE
- Hitting rocks and stumps is a real danger. Don't end your season before it starts with an injury from hitting one of these obstacles.
- Avalanches are a real possibility. It doesn't matter if you are hiking, hunting, skiing, etc., be prepared with rescue gear and a partner. Many people have died during early season snow storms. Listen to this podcast episode about a bad day in November 2011 when many avalanches were triggered and pro skier Jamie Pierre died.
- Ski resorts all have different uphill travel policies. Some are closed, like Snowbird, others are open. These closed resorts can be great places to get in a little skiing especially in you know of a rock free slope, but it should be treated as backcountry terrain. More info HERE but check with each resort for the latest info.
Click
here for real time Uinta winds, temperatures, and snow depth.
No new avalanche activity to report
Special Announcements
Weather and Snow
Recent Avalanches
