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Forecast for the Moab Area Mountains

Eric Trenbeath
Issued by Eric Trenbeath on
Tuesday morning, March 7, 2017

The avalanche danger is MODERATE today on steep, wind drifted slopes that face primarily NW-N-E. Suspect slopes with smooth, rounded deposits of wind drifted snow, or that feel hollow like a drum. There also remains an isolated, or MODERATE danger for triggering an avalanche on a buried weak layer on steep slopes right around tree line and above that face NW-N-E.

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Special Announcements

Road Conditions: Grand County plowed the road to Geyser Pass Trailhead on Monday.

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Returns to Moab, Monday, March 13. Featuring the year’s best films on mountain sport, culture and adventure, this will be the 14th season the festival has come to Moab. Proceeds support the Utah Avalanche Center - Moab and Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation. For more info and to purchase tickets, go here.

Lost Skis: A guest from Talking Mountain Yurts left a pair of blue DPS skis with Dynafit bindings at Geyser Pass Trailhead on Monday. Please call Will at 435-260-7601 if you picked them up.

Local skier Craig Bigler lost a ski in the North Woods. If you run across it pleas call him at 435-260-1007

Weather and Snow

The mountains picked up 4"-6" of new snow on Sunday night. Southerly winds howled leading up to the storm. For the past 24 hours they've been pretty well behaved, and westerly, averaging 15-20 mph along ridgetops. It's 2 degrees on Pre Laurel Peak and 13 at the Geyser Pass Trailhead.

Wind, temperature and humidity on Pre Laurel Peak. (11,700')

Storm totals and temperature in Gold Basin. (10,000')

Snow totals, temperature and snow/water equivalent at the Geyser Pass Trailhead. (9600')

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

Wind slabs formed over the past couple of days are gaining strength, and most were relatively shallow to begin with. But you may still find a few unstable drifts out there on the lee sides of ridge crests and terrain features in wind exposed terrain. Crossloading has been a factor, and with the strong winds, slabs have formed further down slope than usual. Continue to suspect steep slopes with recent deposits of wind drifted snow, as well as areas that feel hollow like a drum.

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

The chances of triggering an avalanche on a buried weak layer are decreasing, but today the possiblity exists for a triggered wind slab to step down to a buried weak layer causing a deeper and more dangerous avalanche. You are most likely to encounter this problem on steep, NW-N-E aspects, right around treeline and above.

Additional Information

Increasingly warm and dry weather is on tap for the remainder of the week.

General Announcements

Grooming: Trails are covered in fresh snow.

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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.

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