Logan Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Toby Weed

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

We are offering a Basic Avalanche Class with the USU Outdoor Recreation Center this weekend, (Thursday evening classroom and Saturday in the field), contact the ORC to register at 435-797-3264 or at usuorc@aggiemail.usu.edu.

BOTTOM LINE

Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)


Danger Rose Tutorial

With yesterday's strong winds and last night's new snow, I’ve raised the danger rating to HIGH on steep upper elevation slopes with significant deposits of new and recently drifted snow... Very dangerous avalanche conditions may exist in some areas, and you should avoid and stay out from under steep upper elevation slopes and obvious or historic avalanche paths.  

 

You’ll find safer conditions in sheltered lower angled and lower elevation terrain, but triggered avalanches are possible on most slopes steeper than about 35 degrees in the region.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

 Winds at upper elevations calmed considerably overnight, but a northwest wind is picking up a bit now at the CSI weather station at 9700' on Logan Peak.  Overnight temperatures plummeted down to -5 at the station and are in the lower single digits at 8000'.   The Tony Grove Snotel at 8300' reports 11 inches of new snow on the total stake containing 1.1 inches of water.  Higher elevations in the Central Bear River Range probably picked up well over a foot.  But, you shouldn't let the fresh powder con you into doing foolish things, like messing around in steep terrain today. 

The added weight of the new snow may be enough to waken a resting dragon, and huge, deadly avalanches are quite possible in some upper and mid-elevation areas....

RECENT ACTIVITY

There hasn't been any reported or observed activity for about a week now.  In some areas, extensive natural avalanches occurred during the Christmas storm (photos 12-31-08) and in others there were only a few or none.... Many slopes have not released deep slab avalanches yet, and many of these will probably not at all.  But, some may well now have just acquired enough additional load to be hanging there in a delicate balance...

-Last year's tragic fatal accident on Logan Peak was only a short time ago..(click HERE for our preliminary report)

THREAT #1
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Deep, deadly, hard slab avalanches are certainly more likely today with the additional load than they were yesterday...

The added weight of the new and recent wind-deposited snow could be enough to overload the existing deep weak layers at the very bottom of the snowpack in some upper elevation areas.  Although the weakness is so deeply buried now that it seems our weight might not be enough to do the trick, this type of avalanche can often easily be triggered where the slab is shallow.  Remember that it's possible to trigger deep slab avalanches from a distance or from below.

THREAT #2
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Upper elevations in the Central Bear River Range picked up a solid foot of new snow yesterday evening. Meanwhile strong southwest winds dumped bucket-loads of moisture into lee terrain avalanche starting zones.  Fresh wind slabs, soft storm snow avalanches, and loose avalanches are all likely in steep terrain today...

Expect a possible increase in west-northwest winds today, so wind slabs will rapidly build, especially in exposed terrain near ridge tops.

MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Overnight clearing caused temperatures to plummet, and the Campbell Scientific weather station atop Logan Peak reports -5 degrees this morning....Expect reasonable visibility and some sunshine with continued cold temperatures in the mountains today.  A weakening storm will move into the region on Monday, with more snow a good possibility....

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Our Level 1 avalanche class is coming up quickly, (Jan 15th 17th and 18th) contact the USU ORC to register at 435-797-3264 or at usuorc@aggiemail.usu.edu.

The Utah Avalanche Center depends on contributions from users like you to support our work....You can support the Utah Avalanche Center and get discount lift tickets to  Beaver Mountain (here).  All proceeds from sales will support us through the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center....

Also the friends still have a few items left over from the Logan fundraiser and you can pick up a few killer deals right now..Here are the items that are still available: -

(2) One day passes to Park City Powder Cats to be used during January or March and before April 15th, 2009.  Retail value is $449 each. Suggested Donation: $225 each

-Men's Medium Patagonia Figure 4 Jacket Grey    Suggested Donation: $95

-Yamaha Leather Snowmobile Jacket Men's Medium     Black with Blue marks   Suggested Donation: $100

100% of your donation will support the Utah Avalanche Center.  Email loganavalanche@gmail.com if you are interested in any of these items.

If you have any observations from the backcountry, especially if you see or trigger an avalanche, please let us know.  You can leave a message at (435) 755-3638 or 1-800-662-4140, or visit our Website, (utahavalanchecenter.org), and download observations directly to us.....

The information in 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.

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 occur.

This advisory provided by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with:

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority and the friends of the La Sal Avalanche Center. See our Sponsors Page for a complete list.