Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Saturday - February 14, 2015 - 6:58am
bottom line

The snow is stable on most slopes, and the danger is LOW (level 1) in the backcountry. Avalanches are generally unlikely, but triggered persistent slab and wet avalanches remain a possibility on isolated slopes at upper elevations.

  • Use normal caution.
  • Avoid steep previously drifted slopes and shallow rocky areas with poor snow structure at upper elevations.
  • Depart early from sun-warmed slopes with saturated soft snow.

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special announcement

Special thanks to Buttar's and ArcticCat for hooking us up with the light and powerful M8000. This machine will make our field days more fun, safe, and productive and will significantly boost our outreach and education efforts.

RESEARCH PROJECT ON UNDERSTANDING TRAVEL BEHAVIOR IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN NEEDS YOU!! Scientists from the Snow and Avalanche Lab at Montana State University are seeking more participants for their project examining decision making and travel in avalanche terrain. Their project aims to collect GPS location information (from your smartphone) and survey responses from backcountry skiers and riders to better understand what types of terrain are used, and how decisions are made. Their focus is on backcountry skiers and riders of all abilities and experience.

More information: If you want to participate, or learn more about their project aims, research questions and approaches, please visit their web page: www.montana.edu/snowscience/tracks or their companion site directed toward snowmobilers at: www.montana.edu/snowscience/sleds

From nearby Afton Wyoming on Feb 7, Honey Badger vs Avalanche via YouTube featured videos...... HERE

On that note, ***Check out UAC Logan's Practicing Companion Rescue video........HERE

current conditions

The Tony Grove Snotel reports 70 inches of total snow containing 111% of average water for the date. It's mighty warm this morning, already 41 degrees at the 8400' site. The UDOT Hwy 89 Logan Summit weather station reports 24 degrees this morning, light east winds winds overnight, and low daytime relative humidity in the past few days, bottoming out in the low twenties yesterday. You can find nice shallow re-crystallized powder conditions at upper elevations and smooth spring-like snow in the sun and at mid elevations. Unfortunately, most lower elevation slopes, and the lower reaches of many local trails are burned off and melted out.

Glittering frost or surface hoar near the ridge-top could become a persistent weak layer if it's buried intact and preserved. (2-11-2015)
recent activity

No avalanches reported locally since the end of last week.

Videos from last week's activity: Sled Triggered Slides up at the Grove from 2/6/15.....HERE Avalanche on Mt. Magog's South Ridge, 2/5/15....HERE

Visit our Backcountry Observations Page for more local information and from across the state.

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

The snow is stable on most slopes, but triggered avalanches might still be possible in some very steep drifted or sun warmed upper elevation terrain today. Continue to use safe travel protocols, go one-at-a-time while others in your party watch from safer areas, and carry and practice with your rescue equipment.

  • Hard, old wind slabs slabs might allow you to get out on them before releasing. You should be wary around terrain features like cliff bands, sub-ridges, and gullies where wind slabs may have formed, and continue to suspect drifted slopes steeper than about 30 degrees at upper elevations.
  • Wet avalanches involving saturated snow are possible on steep sunny slopes and in areas with shallow snow or poor snow structure during the warmth of midday.
weather

It'll be partly sunny and warm again today, with high temperatures at 8500' around 47 degrees and 10 to 15 mph southwest winds on the ridge-tops. Expect partly cloudy conditions tonight, with a low temperature around 28 degrees and moderate northwest winds. It'll be mostly sunny, with a high temperature around 37 and moderate northwest wind tomorrow. There's a chance for a little snowfall tomorrow night and Monday, but any accumulations look insignificant at this point.

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

general announcements

You can now receive advisories by email for the Logan Zone.  Go here for details.

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

Discount lift tickets are now available at Backcountry.com.  Thanks to Ski Utah and the Utah Resorts.  All proceeds go towards paying for Utah Avalanche Center avalanche and mountain weather advisories.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you shop from Backcountry.com or REI:  Click this link for Backcountry.com or this link to REI, shop, and they will donate a percent of your purchase price to the UAC.  Both offer free shipping (with some conditions) so this costs you nothing!

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on ebay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your ebay account here and click on ebay gives when you buy or sell.  You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny.

***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.