Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Saturday - February 25, 2017 - 7:00am
bottom line

The danger is MODERATE, heightened avalanche conditions exist at upper and mid elevations. Triggered wind slab, cornice fall, and loose avalanches are possible. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully, and avoid travel on or under large cornices and steep drifted slopes.
special announcement

Do you buy groceries at Smiths? When you register your Smith’s rewards card with their Community Rewards program, they will donate to the Utah Avalanche Center whenever you make a purchase. It's easy, only takes a minute, and doesn't cost you anything. Details here.
current conditions

It's still nice and cold in the mountains, and you'll find classic Utah powder riding conditions this weekend in the Logan Zone. The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports 9 F and 2" of snow from yesterday and 3.4" SWE (Snow Water Equivalent) since Tuesday Morning. There's 10' of total snow, 119" with 166% of average SWE. It's 1 F at the CSI Logan Peak weather station at 9700'. The wind sensor is encased by ice and not working. Winds are in the low single digits at the UDOT Hwy 89 summit, and temperatures are rising, currently 2 F. I found glorious powder riding and generally stable snow in the Tony Grove Area yesterday.
recent activity

Numerous natural dry sluffs and a few shallow soft slabs involving dry surface snow occurred on very steep slopes during periods of heavy snow. Riders triggered a small wind slab and deep shooting cracks in drifted terrain yesterday in the Tony Grove Area.

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

Even moderate winds can easily pick up and drift the light snow, and triggered wind slab avalanches are possible at upper and mid elevations. West winds picked up yesterday afternoon in the Tony Grove Area and caused significant drifting. Stronger than expected winds today could cause the danger to rise to CONSIDERABLE on drifted upper elevation slopes. Avoid fresh wind slabs on the lee side of ridges and in and around terrain features like gullies, scoops, sub-ridges, and cliff-bands.

This 2' deep shooting crack shows the potential for wind slab avalanches in drifted terrain. (Eric Flygare 2/24/17)
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

Huge, overhanging cornices can break further back than expected and trigger avalanches on slopes below.

Huge cornices exist on exposed ridges at upper elevations
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

Triggered loose sluffs are still likely on steep slopes, and solar warming could cause potential for loose wet avalanches entraining saturated snow on sheltered sunny slopes.
weather

A weak weather system will cross the area this afternoon and overnight. Yet another cold storm is on tap for the first part of next week. It'll be mostly cloudy with a few snow flakes today and a high temperature at 8500' of 19 F and 8 to 16 mph west wind. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 5 F and 11 to 15 mph west wind. The sun will be out tomorrow, high temperatures of 23 F and 11 to 15 mph southwest winds.
general announcements

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

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.

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.

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.