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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed for
Saturday, December 22, 2012

The overall danger is MODERATE (level 2), and you could trigger stiff wind slabs or dangerous, persistent slab avalanches on steep drifted slopes in the Logan backcountry today. There are also localized areas with a CONSIDERABLE (or level 3) danger at upper elevations on slopes with recent deposits of drifted snow facing the northern quarter of the compass, where dangerous triggered avalanches are more probable. Avalanches in some areas might be triggered remotely from a distance or below. Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully, and continue to make conservative decisions regarding your route selection.

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Weather and Snow

Strong southwest winds raked exposed terrain at upper elevations in the past couple days, scouring windward slopes to the bone, building crazy sastrugi formations and wind-board crusts, and creating rock solid drifts. In sheltered terrain, the surface of the fresh snow from earlier in the week is now re-crystallized, providing fairly fast., smooth, and supportable shallow powder conditions. The Tony Grove Snotel reports 45 inches of total snow, 95% of average water content for the date, and it's 25 degrees at 8400' this morning. Campbell Scientific's 9700' Logan Peak weather station reports a current temperature of 23 degrees and sustained strong south winds for the past couple days. The wind speeds diminished a bit overnight, now cranking out hourly averages in the mid twenties, with a gust early this morning near 40 mph.

Recent Avalanches

We've observed evidence of widespread natural avalanche activity from Monday's intense storm across the Logan Zone on upper elevation slopes facing northwest through east. We haven't received reports of any recent human triggered avalanches.

A completely different situation exists in the Western Uinta Range and on the Wasatch Plateau where people are remote triggering very large and dangerous avalanches... See reports... Miller Flats Whitney Basin

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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Triggered wind slab avalanches are probable on steep drifted slopes today. Stiff wind slabs formed in the past couple days from sustained south winds at upper elevations. In some cases, these slabs built on weak sugary surface snow called near surface facets. Watch for and avoid stiffer wind deposited snow on the lee sides of major ridge-lines and in and around terrain features like gullies, scoops, sub-ridges, cliff bands, and rock outcroppings.. Winds slabs will appear smooth, rounded, and maybe chalky, and they often sound hollow or drum-like when you walk around on them. Today you might find very sensitive slabs, potentially releasing from remote triggers, or more stubborn slabs that might wait for you to get out on them before releasing....

Avalanche Problem #2
New Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

There are areas with poor snow structure where you might trigger dangerous and broad slab avalanches releasing on buried persistent weak layers. I've been observing weak layers consisting of small sugary grains called faceted snow across the zone, with the weakest in areas with relatively shallow snow. Areas with shallow, weak, preexisting snow that are also drifted-in by the recent and continuing south winds are suspect. Hard slab avalanches running on persistent weak layers in some areas might be triggered remotely from a distance or worse, from below. Pay close attention to red flags like audible collapsing and cracking, and always be willing to reevaluate or turn back.

Additional Information

Today will be mostly cloudy in the mountains with temperatures reaching the low 30’s. Southwest winds will increase to 15-20 mph this afternoon preceding the approaching storm systems. Snow is expected to start falling overnight Saturday and continue through Monday evening with the potential for 1-2 feet of total snow in the upper elevations of the Bear River Range.

Check out the Logan Mountain Weather page...

General Announcements

The friends of the Utah Avalanche Center in Logan is presenting an Advanced Skills backcountry 201 class in early January. A classroom session on the evening of January 3 and a field day on Saturday January 5. Here's a link for more information and registration; Advanced Skills, backcountry 201 or call 435-757-2794.

Discount lift tickets are in and it would be a good day for lift serviced riding! Go to http://www.backcountry.com/utah-avalanche-center to get tickets from our partners at Alta, Beaver Mountain, Brighton, Canyons, Deer Valley, Park City, Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, Snowbird, Solitude, Sundance, and Wolf Mountain. All proceeds benefit the Utah Avalanche Center.

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center in Logan have a two person pass for a day of powder skiing or riding with Park City Powder Cats, and they're opening this weekend. If you are interested in a good deal for a memorable powder experience call Paige at 435-757-2794....

Remember your information can save lives. If you see or trigger an avalanche in the backcountry or see anything else we should know about, please participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting snow and avalanche observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or email by clicking HERE. In the Logan Area you can contact Toby Weed directly at 435-757-7578.

This advisory is produced by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. It describes only general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.

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