Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Saturday - March 8, 2014 - 6:45am
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Heightened avalanche conditions exist and there is a MODERATE or Level 2 danger in the Logan Area backcountry. Large cornice falls and triggered wind slab avalanches are possible in drifted upper elevation terrain, and wet avalanches will become more likely on sunny slopes as the day warms this afternoon. Unlikely, but dangerous deep slab avalanches remain possible in some outlying, shallow and rocky areas. Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully, and continue to use safe backcountry travel protocols.

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current conditions

It's 26 degrees this morning, and the Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports just under 10' or 119 inches of total snow, and 138% of average water content for the date. The 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station reports 18 degrees and the wind sensor appears to be rimed, but Mt Ogden reports 24 mph average wind speeds and gusts in the mid thirties from the east-northeast this morning. We found mostly supportable, but sometimes breakable melt-freeze crusts on the surface of the saturated snow at lower elevations yesterday afternoon in the southern Wellsvilles. Might still be a bit of heavy powder up high in sheltered terrain, but strong southwest wind on Thursday and last night's northeasterly winds probably wind-jacked or drifted most of the soft upper elevation snow.


recent activity
  • A snowmobiler was killed by an avalanche yesterday evening in the Western Uinta Mountains in Summit County. Craig Gordon of the UAC is already on his way to the scene, and we'll have more details soon.
  • A skier triggered and was caught carried and injured in a very close call with a large deep slab avalanche yesterday in the Provo Area Mountains....Report
  • Other than a few reported intentionally triggered wind slabs and cornice drops from earlier in the week, no significant avalanches occurred in the Logan Zone since the natural activity during last weekend's very wet and windy storm. Intentionally triggered deep slab 3-1-2014, Report

Ski tracks and the crown of the avalanche in the Shot Gun Chutes, which injured an extremely lucky backcountry skier in the Provo Area Mountains yesterday, 3-7-2014.
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

Avoid and stay out from under large and overhanging cornices along major ridge-lines, which are likely to break further back than you expect and might trigger avalanches on drifted slopes below. Large cornice-falls and triggered wind slab avalanches are possible and perhaps still likely in some drifted upper elevation terrain today. Watch for and avoid stiffer drifted snow or potential wind slabs on the lee sides of major ridge lines and in and around terrain features like rock outcroppings, sub-ridges and gullies.

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 widespread weak faceted snow from the first half of the season snow appears dormant for the most part and is so deeply buried and bridged now at upper elevations in the Central Bear River Range that It would be difficult for us to trigger a deep slab avalanche. Dangerous deep slab avalanches failing on faceted weak layers near the bottom of the snowpack are still possible in outlying shallow, rocky, or previously wind-scoured terrain that is now drifted or sun-warmed. Yesterday's fatality in the western Uintas and the accident in the Prove Area Mountains, likely involved this dangerous type of avalanche, failing on weak, faceted snow from much earlier in the season.
Avalanche Problem 3
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 10 hours
description

Cooler temperatures the past couple nights certainly helped with the wet avalanche problem, but It'll warm up significantly again this weekend. Wet avalanches are possible in the heat of midday on steep sun warmed slopes. Avoid and stay out from under steep slopes with soft saturated snow, and be especially careful above trees, benches, or other terrain traps that you could be dragged into.

weather

Looks like warmth and sunshine will return for the weekend, and unsettled, moist weather will continue next week. Expect lots of sunshine today, calm winds, and 8500' high temperatures around 37 degrees. Temperatures should drop a couple degrees below freezing overnight, and southwest winds will increase a bit. It'll be partly cloudy tomorrow, with moderate southwest winds and mountain temperatures in the lower 40s...

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

Campsaver and The Utah Avalanche Center in Logan are teaming up to give away a avalanche rescue kit - beacon, shovel and probe!
That's almost $400 worth of essential backcountry gear!  The more you share and like, the more chances you have of winning. Winner will be drawn at random early next week. Link is HERE

Show Us You Know the Snow: US & Canadian avy groups have a challenge to sidecountry riders: Use your camera to tell a short video story about how your crew gets ready to safely ride beyond the resort boundary. Videos will be posted & promoted by GoPro & other partners. The contest will run till Mar 21. The winner will be determined by a combination of most views & an expert panel. Prizes include: 2 days at Monashee Powder Snowcats, 2 4-day Gold Passes to any US resort, a Backcountry Access Float 22 airbag, gear from Backcountry.com, editing help and support from Sherpas Cinema, & more. Winners will be announced in late March. . Details at knowthesnow.com     Please share this with your friends

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.