Logan Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Toby Weed

BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

There is a MODERATE danger in the backcountry, and you could trigger avalanches on some wind-drifted slopes steeper than about 35 degrees, mainly at upper elevations.  Wind slab avalanches are possible in steep exposed terrain with stiff, recently or previously wind drifted snow.  Although the danger of deadly deep slab avalanches is gradually diminishing, the continued existence of weak sugary or faceted snow near the ground indicates that they're still possible.     Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully and use wise travel techniques....


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Most exposed upper elevation slopes are wind-blasted or rimed, and you'll find the best snow conditions at mid and lower elevations and in sheltered terrain.  The snow is fast and still somewhat inconsistent, but riding is good at all elevations on generally supportable snow...There are still lots of woody obstacles and whips at mid elevations and lower.

There's exactly five feet of total snow this morning at the Tony Grove Snotel... 60 inches of snow, containing 18 inches of water, which is 99% of average for January 14th....

It's 17 degrees at 9700' at the CSI weather station on Logan Peak.


RECENT ACTIVITY

With the exception of a moose-triggered avalanche in the Bear River headwaters in the Western Uinta Mountains, it was quite yesterday avalanche-wise.

Locally, no avalanches have been reported or observed since I watched one on Cornice Ridge last Friday.(1-9-08 photos)


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Finally, the north wind moderated a bit overnight...Even though they were cranking again yesterday, they didn't have much transportable snow to drift...There are stiff to hard wind slabs on many slopes in the region, and the vast majority of these are solidly bonded to the underlying snow...But, there are also likely to be some exceptions, mainly on very steep slopes and in abrupt terrain features like around or just under cliff-bands....

You should avoid obvious drifts of hard slabs on steep slopes as these sometimes will allow you to get well out on them before releasing....


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

The danger of deadly deep slab avalanches is gradually diminishing, but weak sugary or faceted snow is still present at the very bottom of the snowpack...In many areas this weak snow has been compacted and compressed into the terrain by the tremendous load of the overlying slab.  But there are likely to be exceptions, especially in shallower areas and where the faceted basal layer makes up a higher percentage of the overall snowpack.  Since the slab layer is so deep and strong, you probably couldn't trigger an avalanche in most places anymore....But there may well be exceptions, most likely on very steep slopes and in areas where the slab layer is generally shallow.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Expect sunny conditions in the mountains today, with high temperatures near freezing at the mountain tops...Haze and smog will become trapped in Cache Valley as a temperature inversion sets up under a solid high pressure system.   The inversion will only get stronger in the next few days, with fair and mild weather in the mountains and cold fog and smog in the valleys...A system will brush by to our north, bringing cloudiness over the weekend....And we're expecting a change in the weather pattern around the middle of next week..


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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.

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. 

I will update this advisory by 7:30 on Friday morning.


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.