Advisory: Logan Area Mountains | Issued by Toby Weed for January 14, 2013 - 7:04am |
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Above 8,500 ft.
7,000-8,500 ft.
5,000-7,000 ft.
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bottom line There is a MODERATE (or level 2) danger in the backcountry today. Heightened avalanche conditions exist in drifted terrain, and you could trigger wind slab avalanches on steep slopes. Very cold temperatures decrease your safety margins in the backcountry. Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully, avoid steep drifted slopes and terrain traps below, and continue to practice safe travel protocols... Increasing west and north winds overnight and tomorrow will probably cause the danger of wind slab avalanches to rise at upper elevations and on slopes exposed to drifting.
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special announcement The friends of the Utah Avalanche Center in Logan is presenting a snowmobile avalanche safety clinic in Logan, with a classroom session on Thursday.January 17 and a field session up at Tony Grove on Saturday January 19. Save the date, call 435-757-2794 for more information, and visit our website to register..... HERE |
current conditions Prepare for very cold temperatures in the mountains again today, and watch your partners for signs of frost bite on exposed skin. The extreme cold decreases safety margins in the backcountry, and minor things that are trivial issues when warmer can become life threatening with sub-zero wind chills. We also tend to make hurried and sometimes poor decisions when influenced by the cold. The light powder from late last week improved riding conditions, but in most places you can still feel and hear a rime-crust from last Tuesday, which is widespread across the region. The crust is quite variable in thickness and plagues slopes at all elevations. The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports a couple inches of new snow and 2/10ths of an inch of water in the past 24 hours. It's 8 degrees below zero this morning, there is 48 inches of total snow, and the station reports 70% of average water content for the date. The CSI Logan Peak weather station at 9700' reports 13 degrees below zero, and northwest winds, with speeds averaging in the lower teens... On a finger numbing side note; the UDOT Hwy 89 Logan Summit weather station reported negative 25 degrees at 4:00 this morning. And It's nearly 50 below zero up in Peter Sinks!....
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recent activity Locally; a couple natural avalanches from Friday's storm were reported this weekend. Observers report a good sized hard slab, triggered by a cornice fall on a drifted slope at lower elevations on the west side of Cache Valley above Cutler Reservoir. Another observer reported seeing the blow-in evidence of a natural soft wind slab high in Logan Dry Canyon that was probably less than a foot deep when it occurred. There were a couple close calls, accidents with partial and full burials and injuries in the mountains near Salt Lake City over the weekend, and thankfully everyone survived. Drew and Brett visited the perspective sites yesterday and updated the accident reports. West Porter and Depth Hoar Bowl Here's a link to our updated avalanche list...
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type | aspect/elevation | characteristics |
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Above 8,500 ft.
7,000-8,500 ft.
5,000-7,000 ft.
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description
Watch out for wind slabs on the lee side of major ridges and in and around terrain features like cliff bands, sub-ridges, gullies, and scoops. Fresh wind slabs could be around a foot deep and could be deeper in places. Drifts formed on weak sugary faceted surface snow, in many areas capped by a rime crust from early last week. Avoid wind drifts on steep slopes, which often appear smooth or rounded and chalky looking, and they sometimes sound rather hollow. Cracking and audible collapsing in drifted snow are red flags requiring reevaluation of your route... Stronger winds overnight and tomorrow will probably cause the danger of wind slab avalanches to increase at upper elevations and on exposed slopes...
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weather Expect very cold temperatures in the mountains again today, with high temperatures at 8500' approaching 6 degrees and way sub-zero wind chills. It'll be mostly cloudy, with a little snowfall possible and moderate northwest winds. Temperatures will drop well below zero again tonight and snow is likely but little accumulation is expected. West winds will increase in strength overnight. Northwest winds will increase tomorrow at upper elevations and drifting is likely, so the danger of wind slab avalanches will probably rise in exposed terrain. A strong high pressure will move over the region tomorrow afternoon with significant warming aloft. The resulting temperature inversion will take hold and cold air and smog will be trapped in the valleys through the weekend and well into next week. We'll find fair weather in the mountains during this time.... Check out the new Logan Mountain Weather page...
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general annoucements Remember your information from the backcountry can save lives. If you see or trigger an avalanche in the backcountry or see anything else we should know about, please send us your snow and avalanche observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or email by clicking HERE. In the Logan Area you can contact Toby Weed directly at 435-757-7578. I will update this advisory on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by around 7:30... This advisory is produced by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. It describes only general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist. |