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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed for
Monday, February 9, 2015

Heightened avalanche conditions persist on drifted slopes and there's a MODERATE (level 2) danger at upper elevations in the backcountry. Triggered wind slab and cornice fall avalanches are possible on slopes steeper than about 30 degrees, especially in drifted terrain facing north through east above about 8500'.

  • Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully.
  • Avoid steep drifted slopes at upper elevations and ridge-top cornices.

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Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements

****NEW VIDEOs: Last week's Sled Triggered Slides up at the Grove from 2/6/15.....HERE Avalanche on Mt. Magog's South Ridge, 2/5/15....HERE

From nearby Afton Wyoming on Feb 7, Honey Badger vs Avalanche via YouTube featured videos...... HERE

On that note, ***Check out UAC Logan's Practicing Companion Rescue video........HERE

Weather and Snow

The Tony Grove Snotel reports a new inch of snow overnight and there's 70 inches of total snow containing 116% of average water for the date. It's a balmy 37 degrees this morning at the 8400' site. The UDOT Hwy 89 Logan Summit weather station reports much cooler temperatures, with 24 degrees this morning and light east winds winds currently and overnight.

An opportunity for realistic rescue practice in a sled triggered avalanche near Naomi Peak. (2-7-2015)

Recent Avalanches

There were over a dozen sled triggered avalanches in the Tony Grove and White Pine Canyon areas last week, and luckily nobody got hurt. The somewhat slow moving and "user friendly" avalanches were about 2 feet deep and some quite wide. The strengthening thin layer of weak snow formed on the surface at the end of January, and the avalanches failed on top of a rime-crust from 1/24/15.

Visit our Backcountry Observations Page for more local information and from across the state.

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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
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Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Triggered wind slab avalanches remain possible on some drifted upper elevation slopes today, and are most likely on east facing slopes. Hard wind slabs might allow you to get out on them before releasing. You should be wary around terrain features like cliff bands, sub-ridges, and gullies where wind slabs may have formed, and continue to avoid drifted slopes steeper than about 30 degrees at upper elevations. Accumulating snow and west winds will build fresh drifts and sensitive new soft wind slabs by this evening. Avoid ridge-top cornices, which might break further back than you expect and could trigger avalanches on steep slopes below.

Additional Information

Expect snow in the mountains today. It'll be warm today, with temperatures increasing to around 40 degrees before noon and then dropping into the mid thirties. West winds will drift snow in exposed terrain and 3 to 5 inches of accumulation is expected. Expect mostly cloudy conditions tonight with a low temperature around 27 degrees, continued west wind and another inch or two of snow expected.

Check out our one-stop weather page........HERE

General Announcements

Special thanks to Buttar's and ArcticCat for hooking us up with the light and powerful M8000. This machine will make our field days more fun, safe, and productive and will significantly boost our outreach and education efforts.

RESEARCH PROJECT ON UNDERSTANDING TRAVEL BEHAVIOR IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN NEEDS YOU!! Scientists from the Snow and Avalanche Lab at Montana State University are seeking more participants for their project examining decision making and travel in avalanche terrain. Their project aims to collect GPS location information (from your smartphone) and survey responses from backcountry skiers and riders to better understand what types of terrain are used, and how decisions are made. Their focus is on backcountry skiers and riders of all abilities and experience.

More information: If you want to participate, or learn more about their project aims, research questions and approaches, please visit their web page: www.montana.edu/snowscience/tracks or their companion site directed toward snowmobilers at: www.montana.edu/snowscience/sleds

You can now receive advisories by email for the Logan Zone. Go here for details.

Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools, with our updated, Utah Avalanche Center mobile app

Discount lift tickets are now available at Backcountry.com. Thanks to Ski Utah and the Utah Resorts. All proceeds go towards paying for Utah Avalanche Center avalanche and mountain weather advisories.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you shop from Backcountry.com or REI: Click this link for Backcountry.com or this link to REI, shop, and they will donate a percent of your purchase price to the UAC. Both offer free shipping (with some conditions) so this costs you nothing!

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on ebay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your ebay account here and click on ebay gives when you buy or sell. You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny.

***Please submit snow and avalanche observations from your ventures in the backcountry HERE. You can call us at 801-524-5304 or email HERE, or include #utavy in your Instagram or Tweet us @UAClogan. To report avalanche activity in the Logan Area or to contact the local avalanche forecaster call me, Toby, at 435-757-7578.

I'll regularly update this advisory on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by about 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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