A MODERATE avalanche danger will be found in upper elevation terrain and human triggered avalanches are possible on steep, wind drifted slopes.
Out of the wind the avalanche danger is generally LOW.
Special AnnouncementsMy heart is heavy and it is with great sadness to report an avalanche accident involving a friend, colleague, and fellow avalanche professional. Craig Patterson, a highway avalanche forecaster, was tragically killed on Thursday in Big Cottonwood Canyon while investigating snowpack conditions. My thoughts, prayers, and energy go out to his friends and family. A report of the accident can be found here.
Weather and SnowSkies are clear this morning and temperatures in the low 30's. West-southwest winds started ramping up early this morning and are currently blowing 20-30 mph along the high peaks and near the Skyline Summit. The rain/snow level has hovered right around 9,000', but a couple of storms this week laid down a fresh coat of paint and soft, settled powder can still be found on high elevation north facing slopes.
Here's the snowpack setup.
The total depth stake at Miller's Flat
Recent Avalanches
Natural cornice fall near the Summit produced this shallow soft slab... otherwise it's been pretty quiet. Click here to view Steve and Darce's trip report from Seeley Canyon yesterday.
Increasing winds should find enough snow to blow around and form shallow wind drifts sensitive to the weight of a rider. Found on the leeward side of upper elevation ridges, today's fresh drifts will predictably break at or below you skis, board, or sled. Mostly manageable in size and depth, think about the consequences of triggering even a small slide, especially if you're in steep, unforgiving terrain.
Most cornices seem pretty welded in place, but these are unpredictable pieces of snow that have a tendency to break further back than you might expect. Rather than pulling on the dogs tail today to see how it's gonna react, it's probably best to avoid being on or near large overhanging cornices.
Today we can expect increasing clouds and southwest winds gusting into the 40's by late in the day as a fast moving cold front clips northern Utah. High temperatures climb into the mid 40's before diving into the low 20's overnight. A few inches of snow are expected out of this system before a short-lived break on Sunday and then cold, unsettled weather is slated for Monday through Wednesday. This could be a good snow producer for the region and a foot or so of new snow seems pretty reasonable.
Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can call me directly at 801-231-2170, email [email protected], or email by clicking HERE
This is a great time of year to schedule a free avalanche awareness presentation for your group or club. You can contact me at 801-231-2170 or email [email protected]
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The information in this advisory is from the US Forest Service which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
The information in this advisory advisory expires 24 hours after the date and time posted.
This weekend is the last of our regularly scheduled advisories. I will update this page on Monday with some general avalanche observations.
