Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Monday - February 12, 2018 - 7:16am
bottom line

Backcountry snow is stable in most areas, the danger is LOW, and avalanches are unlikely.

  • Use normal caution.
  • Continue to practice good communication and backcountry travel protocols.
    I will update this advisory on Wednesday morning, 2/14/18




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 Logan Zone has been left high and dry, while the mountains to our south have been blessed by small storms and little tastes of powder. Snow conditions are quite varied across the zone, with a brittle, translucent rain-crust on the snow surface at upper elevations near the Idaho State Line, springlike supportable snow on sunny slopes, wind whipped snow in exposed terrain, and a few pockets of soft powder-like conditions still to be found in the trees.

  • The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports a 23°F, and there's 54 inches of total snow at the site containing 85% of normal SWE (or Snow Water Equivalent).
  • It's 23°F at the UDOT Hwy 89 Logan Summit sheds, and a south wind is blowing 5 to 10 mph.
recent activity

No avalanches were reported recently in the Logan Zone.

  • A party triggered a large collapse Saturday on a northeast facing slope at around 8000' in outlying terrain above Bear Lake, indicating that areas with unstable snow still exist in places.
  • Skiers report cracking out a few shallow but sensitive wind slabs in the Garden City Bowls area yesterday, 2/11.
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

​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.

  • Shallow human triggered wind slab avalanches and cornice falls are possible in exposed upper elevation terrain. Avoid drifted snow on steep slopes and in and around terrain features like sub-ridges, gullies, scoops, and rock outcrops.


Skier's were surprised to find somewhat sensitive wind slab conditions yesterday (2/11) in drifted terrain in upper Garden City Canyon.

  • 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.
weather

A series of weather disturbances will impact much of Utah through at least Tuesday. After a short break late Tuesday night through early Wednesday, another round of precipitation will expand across the state late Wednesday through Thursday.

  • Today: Snow showers likely, mainly after 11am. Cloudy, with a high near 23. South southeast wind 9 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
  • Tonight: A 30 percent chance of snow showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. West northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming south in the evening. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
  • Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 27. West northwest wind 5 to 8 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.