Introduction: Good
Morning! This is Evan Stevens with the
USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather
advisory. Today is Saturday, February
7th, 2004 at 7:30 am.
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General Conditions:
There is still lots of powder to enjoy on sheltered and shady
aspects. The snow in the sun is
settling out and may have a small zipper crust on the surface in places below
11,000’. Snow depths range from 46” at
the trailhead to 70” in Gold Basin.
Currently it is a balmy 18 degrees in the alpine with winds from the SSW
at 15-20mph. At the trailhead it is 15
degrees. If you are venturing off of
the beaten path expect some arduous trailbreaking in the unsettled new
snow. The road was plowed again
yesterday.
Mountain Weather:
Another day for hats and sunscreen, expect partly cloudy skies for
most of the day with temperatures in the 30 degree range at 9,500’. Clouds should increase tonight as a storm
system passes to our north.
Temperatures should be in the teens tonight with 1-2” of new snow under
mostly cloudy skies with snow showers.
Tomorrow snow showers should linger, with little accumulation expected
and highs in the 20s and NW winds at 10-20mph.
Avalanche Conditions:
As we move to a period of a few days after our last storm and
major loading event, the new snow continues to settle and the avalanche danger
continues to subside. The weaknesses at
the January High Pressure snow surface and our new snow are still fairly
reactive in the right places. Many
natural slides were witnessed on Thursday and Friday that ran during Tuesday
and Wednesday’s storm, most occurring on Northerly aspects at and above
treeline. These ranged from new snow
sluffs to soft slabs 100-200’ wide.
Although the time has passed for natural avalanches to occur, the new
snow hasn’t settled enough to accept the additional weight of a backcountry
traveler. If you find yourself in
slabby, punchy and/or hollow sounding snow, and hear and feel some cracking and
collapsing, then it is time to think twice about what terrain you are venturing
out onto. My advice is to watch your
slope angles for a few more days.
The bottom line is an avalanche danger of MODERATE with pockets of CONSIDERABLE on wind loaded
aspects at and above treeline on slopes steeper than 35 degrees. Below treeline the danger is limited to
terrain that is open enough to avalanche; be extra weary of open terrain below
9,500’ and especially terrain traps.
The January High Pressure really worked a number on these spots and a
depth hoar snowpack in these locations will not be able to support the
additional weight of a backcountry traveler.
Remember a CONSIDERABLE danger means
human triggered avalanches are PROBABLE and natural avalanches are
possible.
Nordic and Skate Skiing: The Tag-a-Long
snow cat was out and back to Tomasaki hut on Thursday-yesterday a bunch of
snowmobiles packed out the road as well.