Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Thursday - February 13, 2014 - 7:26am
bottom line

There is a HIGH or Level 4 avalanche danger in the backcountry. Natural wet avalanche activity is likely on steep slopes with saturated snow at lower and mid elevations. Large and dangerous triggered avalanches are likely and naturals possible on slopes at all elevations and on slopes facing all directions. Dangerous persistent slab avalanches could be triggered remotely, from a distance, or the flats below steep slopes. Avalanche conditions could become even more dangerous due to rising temperatures as we head into the weekend. Avoid all travel in avalanche terrain. Stay off of and out from under steep slopes and obvious or historic avalanche paths.

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avalanche warning

THIS AVALANCHE WARNING IS FOR THE LOGAN AREA MOUNTAINS...THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHEASTERN IDAHO...THE WESTERN UINTAS...AND THE MANTI-SKYLINE PLATEAU SOUTH TO INTERSTATE 70. DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS EXIST ON ALL ASPECTS AND ELEVATIONS. AVOID BEING ON OR BENEATH STEEP TERRAIN...AS AVALANCHES MAY BE TRIGGERED FROM BELOW. THIS WARNING DOES NOT INCLUDE SKI AREAS OR HIGHWAYS WHERE AVALANCHE CONTROL IS NORMALLY DONE.
current conditions

The Tony Grove Snotel reports 5 more inches of heavy snow on the total snow stake containing 1.9 inches of water. It's a balmy 31 degrees, and there's 95 inches of total snow, amazingly now up to 114% of average water content for the date. Southwest winds moderated a bit overnight, currently averaging in the mid twenties with gust near 40 mph on Mt. Ogden. Dangerous avalanche conditions exist in the backcountry today after last weekend's very productive snowstorm and another moist and windy storm yesterday and overnight. Avalanche conditions are unusually bad across the region due to widespread and very weak faceted snow plaguing the basal layers of the snowpack at all elevations and on slopes facing every direction. Backcountry travelers face more dangerous and widespread avalanche conditions than we've seen in years, and we need to be extremely conservative right now. Rain up into the mid elevations and gradual but significant warming will probably keep the overall danger HIGH in the backcountry as we head into the weekend.

Large natural avalanches in the East Banks area across Logan Canyon from Red Banks Campground. 2-10-2014
recent activity
  • A 28-year-old sledder in a party of 5 from the Layton area was buried by a large avalanche and then rapidly recovered by his partners near Millville Peak. Apparently, he was unconscious and unresponsive when recovered by beacon, but spontaneously began to breath when his airway was cleared.​.... see the preliminary ACCIDENT REPORT
  • Logan Canyon was hit several times Sunday morning by both wet slab and persistent slab avalanches. SEE PHOTOS HERE. My latest video is of looking at last weekend's Beaver Canyon Avalanche HERE ​
  • Large and long-running natural avalanches were widespread in the Logan Area last weekend, occurring at all elevations and on slopes facing every direction.

Large natural persistent slab avalanches ran across the Logan Zone over last weekend. This one in Wood Camp. (Pagnucco 2-10-2014)
Avalanche Problem 1
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

Rain on the lower elevation snow will quickly re-saturate it, and warming temperatures in the next couple days will cause an increasing danger of wet avalanches at lower and mid elevations. Wet slabs and loose moist sluffs entraining significant amounts of fresh snow are possible today in steep lower and mid elevation terrain. Avoid travel above lower elevation terrain traps and stay out from below steep slopes with saturated snow.

This wet avalanche hit the Logan River hard last weekend. (2-9-2014)
Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

The preexisting snow is shallow and very weak at all elevations, and dangerous triggered persistent slab avalanches failing on buried faceted weak layers are likely today on many steep slopes. Large natural avalanches are possible, so stay out from under avalanche paths. You could trigger avalanches remotely, from a distance or even from the flats below steep slopes. Most of the many avalanches from last weekend that I've looked at failed on a thin layer of faceted snow above the obvious weak depth hoar, many stepped down and washed out the basal snow, but in most cases, lots of sugary cohesion-less snow was still left on the bed surfaces.

Avalanche Problem 3
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 12 hours
description

Fresh drifts formed yesterday and overnight in exposed upper elevation terrain and will continue to build today. Triggered wind slab and storm snow avalanches are likely in steep terrain today, and a smaller avalanche over running a slope with poor snow structure could cause a step down into weak old snow and result in a much larger and more dangerous avalanche. Natural avalanches are likely in some areas, so adjust your travel plans accordingly. Stay out from under steep slopes.

weather

Expect dangerous avalanche conditions in the mountains again today as the moist and mild Pineapple Express resumes, with more snow and rain expected in the mountains. 2 to 4 inches of accumulation is expected with continued strong and sustained southwest wind. Temperatures are expected to be around 35 degrees at 8500' today, and will gradually rise further as we head into the weekend. A few more inches of accumulation is possible overnight, with low temperatures in the upper twenties and west wind. Snowfall will resume tomorrow, with several inches possible, strong southwest winds, and 8500' high temperatures around 40 degrees.

Check out our one-stop weather page........HERE
general announcements

This years CROWBAR Backcountry Ski Race will be held on February 15 at the Sink Hollow Trailhead.  The race is officially sanctioned by the U.S. Ski Mountaineering Association, and will be held entirely outside of ski resort boundaries.

For a safer powder option; Discount lift tickets are available at Backcountry.com - Thanks to Ski Utah and the Utah Resorts, including Beaver Mountain. All proceeds go towards paying for Utah Avalanche Center avalanche and mountain weather advisories.

Utah Avalanche Center mobile app - Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools.

Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

Follow us at UAClogan on Twitter 

I'll issue these advisories on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings. 

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.