Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop

Mark your calendar for our fall snow and avalanche workshop.

Where: Southtowne Expo Center, 9575 South State, Sandy UT

When: Saturday, November 5, 2016

Hunters will find a bit of snow at upper elevations this weekend. We found cool temperatures and a bit more than a foot of fairly dense settled and fresh snow at upper elevations in the Tony Grove Area on Wednesday. (The Snotel site at 8400' reported 12 inches of total snow on 10/19/2016.) Very shallow early season riding conditions exist and good number of people are out in the backcountry enjoying it.

Although the heavy snow is sticking well to the underlying ground, hunters and riders should be aware that there is now enough snow up high to warrant avalanche consideration. The early snow is beginning to fill-in and smooth-out upper elevation terrain, priming avalanche starting zones. Drifting will create small wind slabs in some exposed areas at upper elevation. Potential triggered wind slab avalanches will be confined to very steep drifted slopes, but even a small avalanche in rocky terrain could have very nasty consequences.

Across the west, the snow probably fell a bit too early. Unfortunately, periods of seasonally cold, clear, and dry weather in the next few weeks will likely cause development of weak snow in the basal layers of the snowpack especially on high north facing slopes. The FS Tony Grove Road is not maintained for winter driving, so 4x4's and chains may be needed for early season access, while the road is still passable for wheeled vehicles.

Now is a good time to refresh yourself and you partners on Companion Rescue Techniques:

High pressure will reside across the region today. Southwesterly flow will develop over the weekend with moisture spreading into the region starting Sunday.