Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Thursday - March 26, 2015 - 7:02am
bottom line

MODERATE (Level 2): Heightened avalanche conditions exist at upper elevations in the backcountry. Rapid solar warming of the fresh snow may cause dangerous conditions, and a Level 3 danger could develop on steep sunny slopes, with natural avalanches entraining significant piles of heavy wet snow possible.

  • Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision making will be essential, especially in sunny upper elevation terrain.
  • Avoid steep drifted terrain, ridge-top cornices, and midday travel beneath steep sunny slopes.

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special announcement

Special thanks to Buttar's of Tremonton and ArcticCat for hooking us up with the light and powerful M8000,
current conditions

Powder conditions were pretty good at upper elevations yesterday, but heating from the powerful high angled sun damaged the higher density powder on many slopes. The Tony Grove Snotel reported around 18 inches of dense new snow with the Monday/Tuesday storm, containing close to 3 inches of water. There's now 68 inches of total snow containing 81% of average water for the date, and it's currently 28 degrees at the 8400' site. It's 26 degrees at the UDOT Hwy 89 Summit weather station, with diminishing and fairly light northwest wind this morning after moderate northwest winds yesterday and overnight.

Folks found fairly good powder riding and pow surf conditions at upper elevations in the Bear River Range yesterday. (J Jensen,3-25-2015)
recent activity
  • Widespread natural loose wet avalanches occurred across the Logan Zone during the heat of the day last week, and riders reported observing a couple more sizable triggered avalanches at upper elevations and on east facing slopes near the state line on Friday.
  • Backcountry skiers triggered a couple small wind slab or storm snow avalanches in the mountains above Salt Lake City in the past couple days. A report from yesterday on Mt. Superior in the Wasatch Range is....... HERE
  • We've received no reports of avalanches from the recent storm locally, although we picked up much more new snow. The heavy new snow appears well bonded. Minimal natural activity was observed yesterday and no triggered avalanches reported, with several parties getting into steep terrain.

****Check out our crowd-sourced avalanche information and recent backcountry observations from across the state.........HERE
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

We found fairly good stability yesterday in the Franklin Basin Area, with the heavy new snow well bonded to the crusty old snow surface. Although rather unlikely, triggered wind slabs 1 to 2 feet deep are possible in some steep drifted terrain. Continue to avoid deposits of drifted snow on slopes steeper than about 30 degrees, and steer clear of the rebuilt ridge-top cornices, which might break further back than expected, and could trigger avalanches on slopes below.
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 sun will be out in full force today, and it will quickly warm the fresh snow.

  • Natural heat-related soft slab avalanches are possible in some areas as the fresh snow is suddenly warmed by high angled spring sun.
  • Loose wet avalanches involving sticky fresh snow and entraining significant piles of debris will become likely on steep sunny slopes as the day warms.
weather

Expect mostly sunny conditions today, with mountain high temperatures in the mid forties at upper elevations and a moderate northwest breeze. Temperatures should drop just below freezing overnight. Looks like another warming trend as we head into the weekend, with some showers becoming possible on Saturday.
general announcements

***Advisories by email for the Logan Zone.  Go here for details.

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!

***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. 

 As we're rapidly heading into spring, we'll post these advisories intermittently and as conditions change in the backcountry.  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.