Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Monday - December 8, 2014 - 6:36am
bottom line

There's a LOW (level 1) danger and the snow is stable on most slopes in the Logan Zone. Low danger doesn't mean No danger, and avalanches are still possible, especially on steep upper elevation slopes. Use normal caution, continue to use safe travel protocols, and check, carry, and practice regularly with your rescue equipment.

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special announcement

Register now for our first on-snow class of the season! Backcountry 101 Avalanche Class. Thursday evening December 11 and all day Saturday December 13. http://utahavalanchecenter.org/classes/backcountry-101-4
current conditions

This morning at the 8400' Tony Grove Snotel it's 32 degrees and there's 35 inches of total snow containing 123% of average water for the date. The 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station is recording 29 degrees and southwest winds, currently averaging a bit less than 20 mph.

The coverage is quite good above around 8000', with the heavy snows from November nicely filling in the rocky terrain. You can ride just about anywhere without sinking in too deeply and you can see the larger protruding rocks. The snow surface dried out and riding conditions improved over the weekend, but it's also weakening or becoming faceted, and surface hoar or frost crystals are growing in abundance on shady slopes at all elevations. If it survives the next few days of mild weather, the loose and enjoyable surface snow will likely become a persistent weak layer once buried.

The Tony Grove road is not maintained for wheeled travel in the winter!


Lots of snow up high, but a bit rocky down low in the Logan Area Mountains. Beirdneau Ridge from Right Hand Fork (12-7-2014)
recent activity

No recent avalanches to report in the Logan Zone.... Visit our Backcountry Observations Page for 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

Although certainly not widespread, pockets with heightened avalanche conditions exist, and triggered avalanches are possible in some upper elevation terrain. There may be very steep isolated slopes on the highest peaks where one could trigger a persistent slab avalanche. Avoid old deposits of drifted snow on the lee side of major ridges and areas where snow has been deposited into gullies or below cliff bands by strong winds.

Avalanches are still possible ,even when the danger is low, so continue to use safe travel protocols and carry the essential rescue equipment (shovel, probe, and transceiver.) Be sure your rescue gear is functioning by practicing with it, and force your partners to join in. It is they who will be your best bet for survival if you get caught in an avalanche.

weather

It'll be partly sunny, with a high temperature at 8500' of 41 degrees and a southwesterly breeze. It'll be partly cloudy tomorrow, with high temperatures again in the lower 40s and light southwest winds. Similar weather conditions will persist through most of the week. A winter storm and a deep trough of Low Pressure is expected to start effecting the region late Thursday night, and we should see moderate snow accumulations, much colder temperatures, and stormy weather Friday and Saturday....

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

general announcements

Big THANKS to our support and to YOU for coming to our Pray for Snow fundraiser last week.     You made the party a huge success!

You can now receive advisories by email for each region in the state.  Go here for details.

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

Please submit snow and avalanche observations from your ventures in the backcountry HERE. You can call us at 801-524-5304 or email HERE, or include #utavy in your Instagram or Tweet us @UAClogan. To report avalanche activity in the Logan Area or to contact the local avalanche forecaster call me, Toby, at 435-757-7578.  

-I'll regularly update this advisory on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by about 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.