Wasatch-Cache National Forest  In partnership with:  Utah State Parks and Recreation, Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center-Logan, and Utah State University College of Natural Resources.

                        The Utah Avalanche Center Home page is: http://www.avalanche.org/~uac/

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Logan area Avalanche advisory

Sunday February 12, 2006

Good Morning, this is Dave Kikkert with the Logan area backcountry avalanche and mountain weather advisory from the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center.  It's Sunday February 12th at 7:00 am.  This advisory is brought to you in part by the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center in Logan with help from Black Diamond Equipment.

Current Conditions:

Under clear skies, it is about 10 degrees warmer than yesterday morning at most locations.  That puts 8,000' temperatures in the mid-teens to low twenties with the temperature on Logan Peak also just under 20 degrees.  The snow surface consists of a variety of nasty crusts on sunny slopes, with the more wind-sheltered northerly facing slopes still harboring some nice re-crystallized powder.   Yesterday the sun crusts didn't soften up much, but with a warmer night some may soften today. 

Avalanche Conditions:

While it is unlikely that you would trigger an avalanche today, there could be some isolated exceptions worth noting.  In the Wasatch, people were able to trigger a couple shallow wind-slabs yesterday on very steep, exposed slopes.  These wind-slabs likely formed during a peak in the northwest winds Friday or Saturday and ran on the weak surface snow that has been forming this last week.  While these slides were small, a few people did take nasty rides.  The Logan area mountains received less wind than the Wasatch, but there is the isolated possibility you could trigger a stubborn wind pocket or two out there on very steep slopes in the most exposed upper elevation terrain.  It may also get warm enough today to soften a few slopes to the point where you would be able to trigger a shallow wet point-release avalanche.  If the snow gets wet and sloppy where you are at, move to another slope.  In short, remember the old saying "low danger doesn't mean no danger" and continue to follow safe travel protocols as you hit up any big lines.

Bottom Line:

The avalanche danger remains LOW on most slopes in the backcountry.  You still might find exceptions and possibly trigger isolated avalanches on a few very steep, wind-drifted slopes, or slopes warmed by the sun.

Mountain Weather:

It will be mostly sunny again today with forecasted highs in the mid 30's.  A north-northwest  wind in the 15 to 20 mph range should help keep things a bit cooler near the ridge tops.  A weak wave will pass Utah tonight bringing stronger northwest winds, clouds, and possibly one or two snowflakes, although it's nothing to hope for.  High pressure returns for Monday with a return to a snowier pattern set to arrive by Wednesday.  

General Information: 

We will offer a free avalanche awareness talk open to the public at the Directive on Wednesday evening, February 15th at 7:00.

For a list of recent avalanches in  the regional backcountry go to Avalanche List.  Snow nerds, check out the new Snow Profiles page.  Check out our Images Page for pictures of recent local avalanches.

Please send backcountry observations to [email protected] or leave a message at 755-3638, especially if you see or trigger an avalanche in the backcountry. We really want to hear from you, even if you think your observation is unimportant.    The information you provide may save lives...

This advisory will expire tomorrow morning.  I will update it again Monday evening.

The information in this advisory is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content.  This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur. 

National Weather Service - Salt Lake City - Snow.