Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Tuesday - January 24, 2017 - 7:00am
bottom line

Very dangerous avalanche conditions exist at all elevations in the backcountry, with storm snow and wind slab avalanches likely. Backcountry travel is not recommended. Stay off and out from under slopes steeper than 30 degrees. Avoid potential avalanche runouts, and historic avalanche paths.
avalanche warning

THE FOREST SERVICE UTAH AVALANCHE CENTER HAS CONTINUED A BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE WARNING.

* TIMING...IN EFFECT THROUGH 6 AM WEDNESDAY.

* AFFECTED AREA...FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN UTAH INCLUDING THE WASATCH RANGE AND WESTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS...BEAR RIVER RANGE...AND THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHEAST IDAHO.

* AVALANCHE DANGER...HIGH.

* REASON/IMPACTS...HEAVY DENSE SNOW COMBINED WITH STRONG WINDS HAS CREATED WIDESPREAD AREAS OF UNSTABLE SNOW AT ALL ELEVATIONS INCLUDING LOW ELEVATION TERRAIN. BOTH HUMAN TRIGGERED AND NATURAL AVALANCHES ARE LIKELY. STAY OFF OF AND OUT FROM UNDER SLOPES STEEPER THAN 30 DEGREES.

BACKCOUNTRY TRAVELERS SHOULD CONSULT WWW.UTAHAVALANCHECENTER.ORG OR CALL 1-888-999-4019 FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION.

THIS WARNING DOES NOT APPLY TO SKI AREAS WHERE AVALANCHE HAZARD
REDUCTION MEASURES ARE PERFORMED.
current conditions

There's now 10 feet of total snow at the 8400' Tony Grove Snotel. It's 15 F and there's 2' of new snow since Sunday afternoon with 2.1" Snow Water Equivalent (SWE). There's 120" of total snow at the site containing 165% of average SWE. The Ben Lomond Peak Snotel reports amazing snow/water numbers, with 8.4" SWE in the last 48 hrs and 4.7" in the last 24! It's 8 F at the CSI Logan Peak weather station at 9700', with a 3 mph west wind. Heavy snow and south winds yesterday created very dangerous avalanche conditions at all elevations in the backcountry.
recent activity
  • Natural storm snow avalanches caused UDOT to close Hwy 89 in Logan Canyon yesterday, and avalanches continued to affect the road throughout the day. The canyon remains closed this morning while crews from UDOT asses the avalanche danger. For latest information on road and canyon closures go...HERE.
  • Numerous natural and triggered long-running storm slab avalanches were reported in the Ogden and Salt Lake Area mountains yesterday.
  • Some more chilling UDOT traffic-cam footage of a natural avalanche in Little Cottonwood Canyon yesterday. HERE
  • No other significant avalanches have been reported in the Logan Zone since the widespread, natural avalanche cycle on 1/11/17.


Large, natural avalanche from 1/11/17 in Wood Camp Hollow.
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

Sensitive soft slabs involving the storm snow and failing on buried surface hoar or sugary near surface facets are possible even in sheltered terrain.

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

Dangerous wind slab avalanche conditions exist in drifted terrain.

  • Drifts formed on weak surface snow consisting of surface hoar and/or small-grained sugary faceted snow, and fresh wind slabs will be sensitive to human triggering.
  • Wind slabs made up of stiffer drifted snow often look rounded and chalky and may produce hollow, drum-like sounds.
  • Avoid drifted snow on the lee side of ridges and in and around terrain features like gullies, scoops, sub-ridges, and cliff-bands.
  • Cornices could break further back than expected and may trigger avalanches on drifted slopes below.
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

Deep slab avalanches, failing on buried weak layers near the ground, are possible.

  • Large, natural avalanches stepping into old snow were common during our last big storm at all elevations.
  • Weak layers of faceted snow exist near rain-crusts at mid and lower elevations.
weather

The recent storm cycle impacting Utah will begin to wind down over the next couple of days. Strong high pressure aloft will lock in over the west coast states for late in the week and on through the upcoming weekend. Snow will become showery today, 1 to 3 inches of snow, 8500' high temperature of 21 F, and west winds 11 to 18 mph. It'll be mostly cloudy tonight with a low of 8 F and 10 mph west-northwest wind. There's a 50% chance of 1 to 3 inches of snow tomorrow, with cloudy skies and 10 to 15 mph west winds.

general announcements

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

If you sign up for AmazonSmile and designate the Utah Avalanche Center as your favorite charity, they will donate a portion of everything you spend to the UAC. It doesn't cost you a penny and we'd really appreciate the help.

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.