AVALANCHE WARNING!! Tap for info
UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!
Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Weather Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Class List UAC Class List Online Classes Resources and Tutorials Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation: Yellow Jacket

Observation Date
1/20/2025
Observer Name
CStowe
Region
Salt Lake » Mill Creek Canyon » Yellow Jacket
Location Name or Route
Yellow Jacket
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
North
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
COLD! Not a breath of wind out, with many cold pools in the drainage bottoms.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Snow Characteristics Comments
At all elevations in the sheltered locations are still holding cold powder. On solar aspects, a couple inches of of low density powder is sitting on a sun crust. At higher elevations, cold deep snow was present everywhere.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Poor Snowpack Structure
Comments
Travel today was from 6k-9500'. Lower elevations are still thin and take a little patience on the exits. I guess the good news it's to cold to melt anything out. Once we got above 8000' the terrain looks like a normal winter.
Yellow jacket crowns are still visible and only partly filled back in from the recent new snow. Snow around 9000' , NW aspects is about 4' deep and has buried facets the continue to gain strength.
Today was the first day I stepped back into some minor avalanche terrain that we could manage. We rode due N and NE with no signs of instability in deep cold powder. I am still avoiding big and complex avalanche terrain.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates