Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Paige Pagnucco for Monday - April 10, 2017 - 5:40am
bottom line

The avalanche danger is MODERATE as heightened avalanche conditions exist. Triggered wind slab avalanches are possible on steep, upper elevation, wind drifted slopes. Wet loose avalanches entraining saturated fresh snow are likely with seasonal warming on steep mid and upper elevation slopes. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully.




special announcement

UAC Gear Sale Fundraiser: We still have some donated gear and certificates left over from the season. Want a guided rock climbing or canyoneering trip in Moab? How about a new pair of skis for some spring ski missions? Check out our gear sale photo album to see if we have what you need. This is a fundraising sale for the Utah Avalanche Center. All proceeds benefit avalanche forecasting and education. Click here to visit the sale!
current conditions

With over a foot of new snow, riding conditions are quite good for the second week in April. The Tony Grove Snotel ​reports 19 °F and there's 108" of total snow, with 150% of average SWE (Snow Water Equivalent)​ at 8400'. A southwest wind is blowing 5-10 mph and it's 14 °F at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station.

Snow surfaces are a mix of medium density powder and hard wind crusts. The best riding conditions will be on sheltered, shaded slopes protected from the wind and sun.

recent activity

A group of two riders reported triggering two separate storm slab avalanches on a north facing steep slope on Saturday in the Tony Grove area. In both, the riders were able to ride out the avalanche. Read the observation here.

Rider-triggered storm slab. (pc: J. Jensen)
Avalanche Problem 1
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 12 hours
description

Wind slab avalanches are possible at upper elevations. Avoid steep slopes with freshly wind drifted snow.

  • 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.
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

Wet loose avalanches involving moist fresh snow are possible on steep slopes at upper and mid elevations. At this time of the year, heating can happen quickly, changing the snow in mere minutes.

  • Watch for signs of wet instability like roller balls, pinwheels and natural sluffs under trees or rock outcroppings.
  • Move to lower angle terrain when you encounter signs of instability.
  • Avoid being on or under steep slopes if fresh surface snow is saturated.
  • Isolated glide and wet slab avalanches can occur at any time, but are most likely in the heat of the day

Rollerballs are a sign of increasing instability. (pc: Bo Torrey)
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

Avoid being on or below large ridge-top cornices.

  • Overhanging cornices can break further back than expected and trigger avalanches on slopes below.
  • Spring warmth is causing large cornices to naturally buckle and calve.
  • Cornice falls are possible anytime, but are most likely during the heat of the day.

Large ridge-top cornices in the Logan zone are buckling and calving during the spring meltdown. (pc: C.Titensor 4/5/17)
weather

It looks to be a stunning day in the mountains- clear skies, relatively cool temperatures and light winds. Highs will only reach the mid 30's F and southwest winds will blow 10-15 mph. A west to southwest flow will be over the area through the first half of the week with warming mountain temperatures reaching the 50's F by Wednesday. A cold front will move into Utah late in the week.
general announcements

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.

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.

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.