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Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Mark Staples
Issued by Mark Staples on
Saturday morning, January 2, 2016

The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE today at upper elevation, wind-loaded slopes where triggering a fresh wind slab or drift is likely and triggering a deep slab avalanche remains possible. The avalanche danger is MODERATE at middle elevations where triggering a wind slab or a deep slab avalanche is possible in specific terrain. Go to low elevation, wind sheltered slopes for a LOW avalanche danger.

Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
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Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements

Tuesday, Jan 5th - Whole Foods Market in Cottonwood Heights has invited us back to participate in 5% Day, where for one day they donate 5% of the net sales to the Utah Avalanche Center. We will also be in the store from noon until 6:00 pm answering questions and spreading the winter stoke! More information here.

Wednesday, Jan 6th – Join us at 7 pm for a showing of the award winning film Meru at Brewvies to benefit the Utah Avalanche Center. For details and advance purchase discount tickets, go here

Weather and Snow

Another night of cold, clear skies has temperatures mostly in the teens F below 10,000 feet. Winds are the main story. Yesterday at ridgetops they were blowing 30 mph gusting to 40 from the SE. This morning they shifted a little more to the S and were averaging 15-20 mph gusting 30 mph.

On wind sheltered terrain, snow quality remains great for riding on most aspects because the snow surface has become weak and faceted.

Photo of yesterday's strong winds transporting snow near Snowbasin (D. Wewer)

Recent Avalanches

Many wind slabs were observed releasing naturally yesterday as a result of the strong SE winds. In Broads Fork yesterday, Trent and I watched a wind slab release naturally and spill over large cliffs (video). Several different observers also spotted recent wind slab avalanches in Cardiff Fork. One of them reported slab depths ranging from 1 inch to 1 foot. Another group further south near Provo on Spanish Fork Peak, saw wind slabs cracking around their skis and reported a remotely triggered wind slab about 1.5 feet deep.

There was one larger avalanche that released naturally in Little Cottonwood Canyon. It was in a north facing slide path at 10,800 feet that had avalanched on Dec 23 and had become reloaded. It broke 2-3 feet deep at the ground and ran 800 feet vertical.

Photo from Cardiac Ridge (M. White)

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Avalanche Problem #1
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Wind slabs releasing naturally are a clear sign that a skier or rider can easily trigger one today. These wind slabs are likely resting on small faceted snow crystals which formed on the snow surface during recent clear, cold weather. With facets underneath them, wind slabs should be very sensitive and remain unstable for a longer time than normal. Additionally, look for these wind slabs in odd places from yesterday's SE winds which do not form wind slabs in the typical locations.

Photo from Cardiff Fork in the Benson and Hedges Couloir (L. Jamison)

Avalanche Problem #2
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Facets at the ground are strengthening in some areas, but they remain weak, loose and sugary in others. On both E and W aspect around 8500 feet yesterday in Broads Fork, Trent and I found a snowpack with weak, facets at the ground. They consistently propagated fractures in our stability tests with hard force. These results told us that triggering a slide at the ground would be hard to do but still possible. We’re not into gambling, so we chose lower angle terrain. The structure of the snowpack was enough of a red flag for us to be conservative.

The only steep terrain we entered was a run called Bonkers that avalanched sometime around Christmas and was covered in deep avalanche debris. However, we turned around because strong winds were rapidly refilling and reloading the starting zones.

To avoid the deep slab avalanche problem, go to lower elevation slopes with a southerly aspect where facets at the ground are either non-existent or stronger. If going onto other aspects it’s worth putting your shovel in the snow and digging to the ground to evaluate the snowpack.

Photo from Broads fork of a weak and shallow snowpack. Weak facets were near the ground and at the surface.

Additional Information

Clouds will increase over the area today, and temperatures should rise into the 20s F. Winds should continue generally from the SE and may increase some this morning to 10-20 mph gusting to 35 mph. They should ease some this afternoon.

General Announcements

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 also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

To get help in an emergency (to launch a rescue) in the Wasatch, call 911. Be prepared to give your GPS coordinates or the run name. Dispatchers have a copy of the Wasatch Backcountry Ski map.

Backcountry Emergencies. It outlines your step-by-step method in the event of a winter backcountry incident.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry, but no one is hurt and you do not need assistance, please notify the nearest ski area dispatch to avoid a needless response by rescue teams. Thanks.

Salt Lake and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033), Canyons Resort/PCMR Dispatch (435)615-1911

Snowbasin Resort Dispatch (801-620-1017), Powder Mountain Dispatch (801-745-3772 x 123).

Sundance Dispatch (801-223-4150)

EMAIL ADVISORY If you would like to get the daily advisory by email you will need to subscribe here.​

DAWN PATROL Hotline updated daily by 5-530am - 888-999-4019 option 8.

Twitter Updates for your mobile phone - DETAILS

UDOT canyon closures: LINK TO UDOT, or on Twitter, follow @UDOTavy, @CanyonAlerts or @AltaCentral

Utah Avalanche Center mobile app - Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools.

Powderbird Helicopter Skiing - Blog/itinerary for the day

Lost or Found something in the backcountry? - http://nolofo.com/

Ski Utah mobile snow updates

To those skinning uphill at resorts: it is your responsibility to know the resort policy on uphill travel. You can see the uphill travel policy for each resort here. IMPORTANT: Before skinning or hiking at a resort under new snow conditions, check in with Ski Patrol. Resorts can restrict or cut off access if incompatible with control and grooming operations.

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.

This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.

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