Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Monday - March 12, 2018 - 7:19am
bottom line

The snow is stable and the danger LOW on most slopes in the Logan Zone this morning, but heightened wet avalanche conditions will develop, and the danger will rise as temperatures warm up. There is MODERATE avalanche danger in the backcountry. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully.

I will update this advisory on Wednesday morning, 3/14/18




special announcement

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

Looks like another nice warm spring day, and you can find nice supportable spring-like conditions (corn snow) in sunny terrain if you get out this morning. There are still isolated areas with poor snow structure and some potential for avalanches failing on buried persistent weak layers as temperatures rise in the Logan Zone, but we've found generally good stability recently.

  • The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports 29°F, and there's 69 inches of total snow, with 85% of normal SWE.
  • It's 19°F at the UDOT Hwy 89 Logan Summit this morning, and there's a very light east wind.
recent activity

Other than expected and comon loose wet activity in sunny terrain and at lower elevations, no new avalanches were reported this weekend 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

There's a LOW danger in the morning, but warm daytime temperatures will soften the crust from overnight and cause an increasing danger of loose wet avalanches. Natural wet avalanches are possible in the heat of midday. Wet sluffs can get pretty big and unmanageable on sustained steep slopes. Wet slab avalanches may become possible in areas with poor snow structure.

  • Roller balls, pinwheels, and natural sluffs indicate possible loose wet activity
  • It's time to move off slopes if you are sinking into slushy or sticky snow
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

Areas with heightened persistent slab avalanche conditions exist, especially on previously drifted slopes with shallow overall snow cover. If you sink deeply into loose sugary snow or easily hit the ground when you stick your ski pole through shallow loose snow, you've found poor snow structure, but in many areas you have to dig a snowpit to find the weak sugary layers.

  • Avoid steep rocky or forested slopes with shallow snow cover and poor snow structure.
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

Human triggered cornice falls are possible in upper elevation terrain. Cornices are stubborn now, but tricky. The warm temperatures in the past few days have caused them the buckle and sag, and a few have calved off large chunks. The danger of natural cornice falls will rise with the temperatures.

  • Avoid ridge-top cornices, which often break further back than expected and can trigger avalanches on steep slopes below.
weather

The broad area of high pressure aloft across the western states will generate a warming trend across Utah through the end of the week.

  • Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 42. West northwest wind 5 to 9 mph.
  • Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 26. North northeast wind 5 to 9 mph becoming east in the evening.
  • Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. Southeast wind 7 to 14 mph.
general announcements

Episode 6 of the UAC podcast "A Conversation with Tom Kimbrough, Hemingway of the Wasatch" is live. We explore ideas about lifetime exposure to risk and what role Buddhism has played in his life as a climber, skier, and soon-to-be octogenarian. We talk about what has changed over the years in snow science and the role of mentorship in the world of avalanche forecasting and other professions and pursuits. Check it out on ITunes, Stitcher, the UAC blog.

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 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.