Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Saturday - January 14, 2017 - 7:01am
bottom line

Heightened avalanche conditions exist in the backcountry, and you could trigger avalanches on many slopes. Pockets of more dangerous conditions may be found on drifted upper elevation slopes, with cornice falls and sizable triggered avalanches likely. Avoid drifted slopes, and let the new snow stabilize before venturing into steep terrain.
current conditions

The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports 24 degrees F with 98 inches of total snow containing 175% of average SWE (Snow Water Equivalent). Over 10 inches of SWE arrived in the past week. It's 19 degrees F at the CSI Logan Peak weather station at 9700', and the wind sensor is encased by ice and is not working. Winds at the UDOT Hwy 89 Logan Summit are calm at 5:00 am. Observers in the Central Bear River Range report numerous natural avalanches from the Wednesday/Thursday natural avalanche cycle, but reasonably good stability at upper and mid elevations. Rime is on the snow surface on open slopes at upper elevations.

Rime on the snow surface in the Bear River Range and avalanche debris in the Wellsville Range. 1/13/2017

recent activity
  • A natural avalanche hit Hwy 89 in the Beaver Canyon section of Logan Canyon just after noon Wednesday, closing the road until Thursday morning.
  • A dirty natural avalanche in Zanavoo Gully in lower Logan Canyon ran about 2800' early Thursday morning, stopping 100 vertical feet above the River Trail
  • Natural avalanche activity in the Wellsville Range was extensive in the past few days and HUGE fresh natural avalanches can be seen from across Cache Valley. Among the largest avalanches I've ever seen occurred on Mitton Peak above Hwy 89/91 in Sardine Canyon.
  • Observers reported large natural avalanches from the recent cycle on the east face of Mt. Magog, Cornice Ridge, Providence Peak, Hell's Kitchen, Tab Hollow, and Thurston Hollow on a large southwest facing slope in the Mount Naomi Wilderness.

Mitton Peak Avalanche, 1/13/2017
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

Persistent slab avalanches, failing on buried weak layers, are possible on many slopes.

  • Weak layers of small-grained near surface facets exist above and below rain-crusts at mid elevations, recent large natural avalanches stepping into old snow were common during the storm.
  • Recent storms buried weak surface snow made up of surface hoar and/or near surface facets. Avalanches are likely on slopes where weak snow was preserved by last week's light snow and not destroyed by warmth or wind.
  • Remotely triggered avalanches are possible.
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
  • Large cornices developed on the exposed ridges during the recent storm. Cornices can break further back than expected and might trigger wind or persistent slab avalanches on drifted slopes below.
  • Wind slab avalanches are possible in drifted terrain. Sustained southwest winds drifted tons of snow into avalanche starting zones during this week's storm, but conditions have calmed significantly in the last 48 hours. Older wind slabs will be stiff and probably difficult for people to trigger, but hard wind slabs have a nasty tendency to let you get out on them before releasing. Some wind slabs may be hidden by a few inches of fresh powder.
Avalanche Problem 3
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

Solar warming may cause a heightened danger of loose wet avalanches on sheltered sunny slopes.

weather

High pressure aloft will settle over the Great Basin for the weekend and the first half of next week, followed by a return to an active weather pattern late in the week.

general announcements

Any time is a great time to practice companion rescue techniques with your partners. Companion Rescue Practice Video

The National Avalanche Center just released their Avalanche Problems Explained video... Not all avalanches are made the same. As a result, travel and decisions in avalanche terrain are influenced by the kind of avalanche you expect to encounter. Watch HERE

Discount lift tickets for Beaver Mountain, Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and the Central Wasatch resorts are donated by the resorts to benefit the Utah Avalanche Center. Details and order information here.

Your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche observations. You can call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include @utavy in your Instagram. In the Logan Area you can reach me at 435-757-7578

We will update this advisory regularly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by about 7:30.

This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.