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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed for
Monday, February 4, 2013

Dangerous avalanche conditions still exist in some areas, and there is a CONSIDERABLE (or level 3) danger on drifted slopes with poor snow structure. Dangerous triggered persistent slab avalanches are possible, mainly on drifted shady slopes at upper and mid elevations that weren't all tracked up in early January. You also could trigger loose wet avalanches on steep sunny or lower elevation slopes with saturated surface snow. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision making will be essential in the backcountry again today.

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Weather and Snow

The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports 22 degrees, there is 58 inches of total snow, and 68% of average water content for the date. It's 17 degrees at the CSI Logan Peak weather station, with 20 mph west winds. You'll find some nice re-crystallized powder and sparkly frost crystals or surface hoar in sheltered shady areas, but sun-crusts or saturated surface snow in sunny areas and rime-crust and wind affected snow in exposed terrain. Use caution though, dangerous avalanche conditions exist in some drifted areas with poor snow structure.

Recent Avalanches

There were many close calls over the weekend in the Utah backcountry, with way too many people taken for dangerous rides in avalanches they or someone in their party triggered. Several people ended up partially buried and a couple fully buried, thankfully rescued quickly by members of their party or others nearby. There were also a couple injuries. Luckily, or miraculously, nobody was killed. Bruce published a great blog late last night to keep us informed about the situation.....HERE.

Locally; on Friday in the Monte Cristo Area in the Ogden Area Mountains, a rider was completely buried in a 400' wide persistent slab avalanche he triggered from low on the slope. His well trained companions were able to locate and extricate him quickly from a four-foot-deep burial. A large natural slab release (likely from Friday) was spotted high in the Wellsville Range on Saturday. I'm surprised that no other avalanches were triggered around here over the weekend considering the crowds and similarly poor snow structure. I guess you were careful out there, as we advised. I did receive reports of, and I observed, extensive audible collapsing or whumpfing from across the Bear River Range. This indicates the presence of unstable snow and potential avalanches.

Here's a link to our updated avalanche list...

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Avalanche Problem #1
New Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Avalanches might fail 2 to 4 feet deep in drifted terrain on very weak faceted snow created during the drawn-out January high pressure systems. Drifted areas plagued by the shallowly buried January 8 rime-crust , which is intact and fairly widespread in the region, and weak faceted snow associated with it are most suspect. The preexisting snow on shady mid elevation slopes is especially weak, and avalanches could occur on drifted slopes in unexpected areas on slopes approaching or steeper than 35 degrees. In these conditions, you could trigger avalanches in some areas remotely, from a distance or worse, from below. Audible collapsing or whumpfing, recent avalanches, and cracking are red flags indicating instability...

Avalanche Problem #2
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Loose wet avalanches are possible on sunny slopes and at lower elevations, especially if high clouds trap solar heat and midday temperatures climb above freezing.... Avoid and stay out from under slopes with saturated surface snow. Roller balls, pin-wheels, and point-release sluffs are all signs that wet avalanche activity is possible.

Additional Information

Expect fair weather in the mountains today. High temperatures at around 8500 are expected to be around freezing, and there will be a moderate west breeze.. A storm scheduled for around Friday should clear the smog out of the Cache and is likely to bring snowfall to the mountains for the weekend.

Check out the new Logan Mountain Weather page...

General Announcements

The infamous annual CROWBAR backcountry ski race is scheduled for Saturday, February 23 in Beaver Creek Canyon. Click HERE for more details...

For a printer friendly version of this advisory click HERE

Remember your information from the backcountry can save lives. If you see or trigger an avalanche, or see anything else we should know about, please send us your 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.

I will update this advisory on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by around 7:30...

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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