Manti-La
Sal Avalanche Center
US Forest Service Manti-La Sal National
Forest
Introduction:
Good Morning! This is Evan
Stevens with the USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your avalanche and
mountain weather advisory. Today is
Friday, January 16th, 2004 at 7:30am.
Tonight at 7pm is the annual Free Avalanche Awareness Course at
the Moab Information Center.
Click here for recent photos. Click here for Snowpits. You can always email us observations as well
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General Conditions:
The valley fog seems to have cleared out, and been replaced by
high clouds and a weak storm. Things
are relatively balmy down in the valley this morning, with temperatures around
22 in town, 22 at the trailhead and 13 up high. Those readings mean the inversion is gone for a bit. Snow depths range from around 3 feet a the
trailhead to around 5 feet up higher.
The winds are currently light out of the NW at around 5 mph. The road is in great shape as well. Settled and recrystalized powder can be
found in the sheltered and shady locations, while stout sun crusts are on
southerly aspects.
Mountain Weather:
The sleepy January weather pattern continues. We may see a storm that is a bit more
significant towards the beginning of next week, but my instincts tell me
no. For now, chance of snow showers
today (30%) with highs near 30 and NW winds at 5-10mph with higher gusts. Tonight, partly cloudy with some gusty NE
winds. Tomorrow, more of the same,
partly cloudy with NW winds and highs in the low 30’s.
Avalanche Conditions:
Still not much too report except old slides from almost two weeks
ago. We observed a few naturals that
ran on during the January 3rd storm in Miners Basin, but otherwise
all is quiet on the avalanche front.
Some at and above treeline shady slopes are still making me think twice,
so if you are thinking about exploring terrain that hasn’t avalanched yet this
season, be cautious. The important
thing to note is that the mountains are harboring an abundance of weak surface
snow that will make things interesting when it finally starts to snow again, so
take note of its presence and location.
That being said, the avalanche danger is MODERATE on slopes steeper than 35 degrees at or
above treeline on NW-N-E aspects.
Otherwise the avalanche danger is LOW in the lower elevations and shallower slopes. .
Nordic and Skate Skiing:
The Tag-a-Long snow cat has groomed up to the Beaver Lake Hut and
traffic on the Geyser Pass Road means some good Nordic skiing-definitely a
great option with the weather like this in town. Warm snow temps during the day.