Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Saturday - March 15, 2014 - 7:28am
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Most slopes are stable, and there is a LOW or level 1 danger in the backcountry. Avalanches are generally unlikely in most areas, but still possible in extreme or "Big Mountain" terrain. Shallow wind slab avalanches and cornice falls are possible and areas with heightened, Level 2, or MODERATE danger may exist on some drifted upper elevation slopes. Use normal caution, avoid steep upper elevation slopes with stiffer wind deposited snow, and continue to practice safe backcountry travel protocols.




special announcement

Sale on all remaining discount lift tickets donated to the Utah Avalanche Center from Beaver Mountain, Wolf Mountain, Sundance, and Brian Head: The few remaining tickets are being blown out with all proceeds used to pay for avalanche advisories and education. Go here to get your tickets.

Snow coverage and conditions are stellar at Beaver Mountain this spring. 3-12-2014

current conditions

Mid elevation snow sites report 2 to 4 inches of accumulation overnight. The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' did not update this morning, but yesterday evening reported 112 inches of total snow, and 134% of average water content for the date. It's 18 degrees at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, which recorded steady northwest winds overnight with average wind speeds in the mid-twenties, and gusts in the forties. We found and observers report safe, stable snow, and very nice shallow powder, smooth dust-on-crust, and even nice spring corn riding conditions across the Logan Zone this week.

A self-renewing resource. A few inches of fresh snow goes a long way towards refreshing the powder in the backcountry. Here's a look at some of the local, still mostly untracked, terrain , with Mount Gog in White Pine Canyon on the left. It's a good weekend to get out into the big mountains, with mostly stable snow, beautiful weather, and smooth easy riding conditions. 3-12-2014



recent activity

It's been a couple weeks since any avalanches stepping into old snow occurred in the Logan Zone. Shallow wind slabs and cornice falls are fairly frequent during and just after the spring storms, and easily predicted loose wet avalanches have been common with solar heating and seasonal warmth affecting fresh snow.

Visit our Backcountry Observations Page for more details.


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

Wind slab avalanches involving drifted fresh snow up to about a foot deep are possible in wind-exposed upper elevation terrain. These should be of the manageable variety for experienced travelers, but a few might be stiff enough to allow you to get out on the slab before it fails.

  • Watch for and avoid drifted snow in steep lee terrain and in and around terrain features like gully walls, outcroppings, or under cliffs. Although avalanches are generally unlikely, triggered avalanches are still possible, especially in extreme or "Big Mountain" terrain.
  • 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 could trigger avalanches on slopes below. These will sag and buckle as they warm up, and could naturally fail during the heat of the day
  • The danger is LOW in most terrain this morning, but we still need to employ good situational awareness and continue to practice safe travel protocols in the backcountry.

weather

Expect lots of sun and mild temperatures in the mountains again today. 8500' high temperatures are expected to be around 33 degrees, with moderately strong and sustained northwest winds on the ridges. It'll be mostly clear tonight, with low temperatures around 25 degrees. Expect sunny conditions again on Sunday, with mountain temperatures around 40 degrees and moderate southwest winds. Snow showers are likely on Monday, but accumulations look rather light at this point.

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

general announcements

Can you change Utah in a day? Utah's non-profit community is a big part of what makes living in Utah great. Join your community in a state-wide day of non-profit appreciation and support with Love Utah Give Utah on Thursday, March 20.  Your donation to the Utah Avalanche Center between now andMarch 20 through this link, large or small, helps pay for avalanche advisories and education and makes the Utah Avalanche Center eligible for challenge grants and special awards provided by local businesses.  In Salt Lake City?  Stop by Squatters downtown on Th 3/20 between 4 and 6 for some free snacks, an opportunity to chat with some of the UAC folks, and make an online donation.  

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

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.