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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed for
Monday, March 5, 2018

The danger is CONSIDERABLE and dangerous avalanche conditions exist in drifted upper elevation terrain. Human triggered cornice falls and wind slab avalanches are likely, and dangerous persistent slab avalanches are possible.

  • Evaluate snow and terrain carefully, and make conservative terrain choices.
  • Avoid and stay out from under steep drifted slopes and corniced ridges.

I will update this advisory on Wednesday morning, 3/7/18

Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Weather and Snow

The weekend storm mostly passed by the Central Bear River Range, but 5 inches fell yesterday at the Tony Grove Snotel. The storm favored the front canyons, with over foot of powder reported yesterday from Logan Dry Canyon and closer to 2 feet of fresh snow up in Providence Canyon. Excellent powder conditions are found in these areas. The new snow was drifted overnight by sustained northwest wind, and dangerous avalanche conditions exist in drifted upper elevation terrain.

  • The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports about 6" of new snow over the weekend, with .6" SWE. It's 12°F, and there's 80 inches of total snow, with 87% of normal snow water equivalent.
  • It's 14°F at the UDOT Hwy 89 Logan Summit this morning, and the wind is blowing 20 to 25 mph from the west-northwest, with overnight gusts of 45 mph.

We observed periods of heavy snowfall and found nice powder conditions in Providence Canyon yesterday 3/4/18.

Recent Avalanches

A natural avalanche observed Wednesday morning, 2 to 3' deep and around 250' wide persistent (wind) slab, running 600 vrt'', on the east face of Magog in Tony Grove Area, likely triggered by cornice fall overnight.We noticed some minor storm snow activity yesterday in Providence Canyon. Just a few shallow soft slabs and sluffs in steep terrain, consisting of very light snow.

We received reports of a few larger avalanches last week.

  • A natural wind slab avalanche was observed on Saturday in DB Bowl in Logan Dry Canyon. The 2' deep slab avalanche was quite wide, (~700') but it stopped short in the trees after running about 150 vrt'.


  • Unintentional snow-bike triggered avalanche, 2 to 3' deep and around 200' wide, East facing slope, 8500' elevation, in Copenhagen Basin, near Emigration Summit in SE Idaho.

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

Human triggered avalanches and cornice falls are likely today in drifted upper elevation terrain.

  • Watch for and avoid drifted snow in and around terrain features like cliff bands, gullies, scoops, and sub-ridges.
  • Wind slabs will be found on the lee side of major ridges, on slopes below cornices, in saddles, and downwind of open fetch areas.
  • Avoid ridge-top cornices, which often break further back than expected and can trigger avalanches on drifted slopes below.
  • In some cases thick drifts formed on slopes with poor snow structure, and some wind slab avalanches could step down to buried weak faceted layers.
Avalanche Problem #2
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Heightened persistent slab avalanche conditions exist, especially on slopes with shallow overall snow cover. We've found shallow snow and poor snow structure recently in shady, mid-elevation, forested, and windward terrain, with particularly eye-opening test results on west and north facing slopes. If you sink deeply into loose sugary snow, you've found poor snow structure, but in many areas you have to dig a snowpit to know.

  • Avoid steep rocky slopes with shallow snow cover and poor snow structure.
  • Persistent slab avalanches might be remote triggered, from a distance or below.
  • Cracking and collapsing or whumpfing are red flags indicating unstable snow.
Additional Information

An upper level trough will continue to move away from the region today. High pressure will follow for most of the upcoming week.

  • Today: A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 19. Wind chill values as low as -10. Breezy, with a west wind 17 to 23 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
  • Tonight: A 20 percent chance of snow showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 8. Wind chill values as low as -8. West wind 14 to 21 mph.
  • Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 25. Wind chill values as low as -6. West southwest wind 6 to 10 mph.
General Announcements

Episode 6 of the UAC podcast "A Conversation with Tom Kimbrough, Hemingway of the Wasatch" is live. We explore ideas about lifetime exposure to risk and what role Buddhism has played in his life as a climber, skier, and soon-to-be octogenarian. We talk about what has changed over the years in snow science and the role of mentorship in the world of avalanche forecasting and other professions and pursuits. Check it out on ITunes, Stitcher, the UAC blog.

We have discount lift tickets for Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude, Snowbasin,and Beaver Mountain. Details and order information here. All proceeds from your purchase go towards paying for avalanche forecasting and education.

Episode 5 of the UAC podcast To Hell in a Heartbeat - A Conversation With Tom Diegel and Matt Clevenger About the 12.26.08 Full Burial on Little Water is live. This podcast talks with Matt and Tom about their experience and the massive success of the To Hell in a Heartbeat video which has been viewed almost 3M times. Check it out on ITunes, Stitcher, the UAC blog, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The UAC Marketplace is online. The holiday auction is closed, but our online marketplace still has deals on skis, packs, airbag packs, beacons, snowshoes, soft goods and much more.

The UAC has new support programs with Outdoor Research and Darn Tough. Support the UAC through your daily shopping. When you shop at Smith's, or online at Outdoor Research, REI, Backcountry.com, Darn Tough, Patagonia, NRS, Amazon, eBay a portion of your purchase will be donated to the FUAC. See our Donate Page for more details on how you can support the UAC when you shop.

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 Check it out on ITunes, Stitcher, the UAC blog, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Now is a great time to practice companion rescue techniques with your backcountry partners. Here's our rescue practice video.

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Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your Instagram.

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 occur.

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