Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Saturday - February 10, 2018 - 7:20am
bottom line

The snow is mostly stable and avalanches are unlikely.

  • Use normal caution, but also a heightened degree of situational awareness.
  • Continue to practice good communication and backcountry travel protocols.

​Remember, LOW danger doesn't mean no danger, and you might trigger cornice falls and/or shallow wind slab avalanches on drifted slopes at upper elevations. Also, avalanches stepping into old snow remain possible in isolated steep terrain with poor snow structure.

I will update this advisory on Monday morning, 2/12/18




special announcement

We have discount lift tickets for Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude, Snowbasin,and Beaver Mountain. Details and order information here. All proceeds from these go towards paying for avalanche forecasting and education!
current conditions

The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports a cool 19°F, and there's 55 inches of total snow at the site containing 87% of normal SWE (or Snow Water Equivalent). It's 20°F at the UDOT Hwy 89 Logan Summit sheds, and a northwest wind diminished a bit overnight and is blowing 10 mph and gusting to around 20 mph. Sure is nice to be able to get out into the mountains, but riding conditions aren't so great in the Bear River Range. In Steep Hollow yesterday, I had to keep the speed down in the upper elevation meadows to keep from being thrown around when the skis bit into widespread, brittle, 1/4" thick rain-crust.

An ice-crust at upper elevations in Steep Hollow makes riding a bit treacherous...
recent activity

No avalanches were reported recently in the Logan Zone.
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
  • Although unlikely, dangerous persistent slab avalanches are possible in isolated steep terrain. Widespread buried faceted layers appear dormant now, but if you trigger an avalanche running on old snow it could be dangerous. Outlying shady slopes with shallow and weak snow are the most suspect. Continue to avoid very steep rocky slopes with shallow snow and poor snow structure.

Widespread buried faceted snow exists across the Logan Zone. This is very weak snow, but the suspect weak layers appear dormant currently under a hardening slab, and the snow is stable in most areas for now.

  • After a week of nearly constant and strong westerly winds, cornice falls and shallow wind slab avalanches are possible in some exposed upper elevation terrain. Avoid drifted snow on steep slopes and in and around terrain features like sub-ridges, gullies, scoops, and rock outcrops.
weather

A weather disturbance will cross the Great Basin today. High pressure aloft will briefly return Sunday, with the next weather disturbance impacting the area early next week.

  • Today: A 30 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 22. Wind chill values as low as zero. North wind 10 to 18 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
  • Tonight: Mostly clear, with a steady temperature around 14. Wind chill values as low as -4. North northwest wind 8 to 17 mph.
  • Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 28. Wind chill values as low as -4. Southwest wind 11 to 17 mph.
general announcements

The latest UAC podcast - "Recreating Like a Pro - A Conversation with IFMGA guide Anna Keeling" is live. This podcast will be ideal for anyone looking to pick up some tips and tricks from a professional mountain guide for recreating in the winter backcountry environment.​

The UAC Marketplace is online. The holiday auction is closed, but our online marketplace still has deals on skis, packs, airbag packs, beacons, snowshoes, soft goods and much more.

The UAC has new support programs with Outdoor Research and Darn Tough. Support the UAC through your daily shopping. When you shop at Smith's, or online at Outdoor Research, REI, Backcountry.com, Darn Tough, Patagonia, NRS, Amazon, eBay a portion of your purchase will be donated to the FUAC. See our Donate Page for more details on how you can support the UAC when you shop.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on eBay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your eBay account here and click on eBay gives when you buy or sell. You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny Check it out on ITunes, Stitcher, the UAC blog, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Now is a great time to practice companion rescue techniques with your backcountry partners. Here's our rescue practice video.

EMAIL ADVISORY: If you would like to get the daily advisory by email you will need to subscribe here.

Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

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 occur.