Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Tuesday - April 17, 2018 - 7:10am
bottom line

We're done issuing danger ratings, and you'll have to evaluate conditions in the backcountry based on weather. In the springtime, conditions are fairly predictable. Snow storms bring an increase in potential for wind slab and storm snow avalanches. As the fresh snow is warmed it is prone to loose wet avalanche activity. Prolonged warmth, very warm temperatures, poor overnight refreezes, and/or rain-on-snow may lead to more dangerous loose wet and wet slab avalanche conditions.

  • Avoid steep drifted slopes and those with saturated surface snow.
  • Stay off and out from under ridge-top cornices.
  • Evaluate snow and terrain carefully.




special announcement

We're done with regular advisories and danger ratings for the season, but stay tuned for updates through the rest of April.

Lift tickets for Snowbasin remaining. The tickets are discounted almost 50%. Details and order information here. All proceeds from these go towards paying for avalanche forecasting and education!
current conditions

Cooler temperatures and a solid freeze last night and again tonight will help keep the snow mostly stable in the backcountry.

  • The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reported a couple inches of snow last night before it went down at 2:00 this morning. It was 22°F, with 71" of total snow containing 97% of average SWE. The average SWE is dropping faster than this year's and it looks like the Tony Grove Snotel could reach or surpass 100% of average due to cooler temperatures and continuing snowfall this spring.
  • The UDOT ​Hwy 89 Logan Summit weather station reports 22°F, and 17 mph westerly wind, with gusts to 23 mph.


There is still plenty of snow up high, but getting there is an issue. Please do your best to limit resource damage. Stay on roads and avoid riding over bare ground, melted out meadows, and sage brush. It is possible to bring your trailer up the Tony Grove Road to the first overlook where you can park close to the retreating snow. There is still snow at the Beaver Creek and Sinks Winter THs...
recent activity

Riders intentionally triggered a handful of small wind or storm slabs Friday in the Tony Grove Area. The new snow was not bonding too well to the underlying old snow, especially in drifted terrain and on very steep slopes. The storm snow is rapidly stabilizing this weekend, and wind slab avalanches are unlikely today, yet still a possibility.
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

Use normal caution while traveling in the backcountry. Remember, all members of your party need to carry and practice with beacon, probe, and shovel. Continue to cross steep slopes and potential avalanche paths one-at-a-time, while the rest of the party watches from a safer place.

Spring snowstorms will initially cause increased danger of storm snow and wind slab avalanches, and warming temperatures after a storm will cause an increasing danger of loose wet avalanches entraining saturated snow. You can avoid most springtime avalanche issues if you get an early start, and leave steep terrain before it heats up in the middle of the day. Prolonged warmth, especially with nighttime temperatures above freezing, or significant rain on snow could create more dangerous wet slab avalanche conditions.

  • Watch for and avoid drifted snow on the lee side of major ridges and in and around terrain features like gullies, scoops, sub-ridges, and rock outcrops.
  • Avoid and stay out from under overhanging cornices, which might break further back than expected and could trigger avalanches on steep slopes below.
  • Avoid being on or under steep slopes with saturated surface snow.


Watching the Folly in Logan Dry from town. In the first picture from Friday evening 4/13, there is a bit of wet surface activity visible on sunny mid elevation slopes. More activity is visible in the second, from around 7:30 pm yesterday, Saturday 4/14.

weather

A cold Pacific trough will exit the region today. High pressure will return Tuesday night through midweek, followed by the next storm system late in the week.

  • Today: Snow likely before 9am, then a chance of snow showers after 9am. Cloudy, with a high near 27. Wind chill values as low as -2. Windy, with a west wind 24 to 31 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
  • Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 16. Breezy, with a west wind 18 to 23 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight.
  • Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 37. West northwest wind 6 to 8 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
general announcements

Episode 7 of the UAC Podcast "Mastery and False Mastery - An Interview with 'Big' Don Sharaf" is live. With a snow career spanning over 30 years, Don has enough mileage in the mountains to have learned a thing or two, including the profound value of humility when staring into the face of the dragon. Listen in on our conversation about the idea of mastery and if such a thing can exist in the avalanche world. Check it out on ​the UAC blog, ITunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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.