Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center

US Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest               

Introduction:  Good Morning!  This is Max Forgensi with the USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather advisory.  Today is Friday, December 24th, 2004 at 10:00 a.m.  We will be updating this advisory again on Sunday, December 26th. 

 

To see past advisories check out the ARCHIVE.  To see current conditions go to our WEATHER PAGE.  To see photos go to the AVIPHOTOS page.

 

General Conditions:

On Thursday, the shot of moisture that left a dusting down in Moab left about a ½” of snow up at the Geyser Pass Trailhead.  Cold air is dominating our area currently, and the highs yesterday were around 10F.  This cold air will slowly warm up through the weekend and the next possibility for snow will be on Tuesday.  There is still some decent skiing out there for you backcountry enthusiasts, you just have to go out and find it.  Above tree-line, expect teeth-chattering supportable sun crust on south aspects while on the north aspects you will find solid, chalky wind slab.  Below tree-line will be your best bet to find settled powder on those shady, north aspects while on the southern aspects expect not so supportable crusts and even some bare slopes.  The skate skiing conditions to Geyser Pass will be fast and some good cross country skiing opportunities are on the road to Gold Basin. 

 

Current Conditions: (click location for latest data)

Geyser Pass Trailhead (9,600’): 15.6 degrees out with 21”-24” on the ground

Pre-Laurel Peak (11,700’):  9:00 am temperature is –7.0F degrees, and the winds are dying down.  The Weather Station is having some technical difficulties right now, and a repair is on its way so we can figure out what direction the winds are coming out of. 

Gold Basin has about 36-40” of settled snow on the ground.

 

Mountain Weather: (At 10,500’)

Today:  Partly cloudy.  High near 25.  Winds will be out of the NNW at 10-15 mph, gusting to 30. 

Christmas Eve:   Clear.  Low near 12.  Winds will be out of the N at 5-10 mph, changing to out of the W.  Wind gusts will reach 20 mph.      
Christmas Day:   Mostly sunny.  High near 38.  Winds will be out of the SW at 5-10 mph, gusting to 20. 

 

Avalanche Conditions:

The natural avalanche cycle has been over for quite some time and the snow is pretty happy to be where it is in most areas for the time being.  There could be a pocket of snow out there that could be reactive to a skier pressure, although the snow is locked in pretty tight in areas that would be more likely to slide.  It is time to make a mental map of what is happening to snow grains on the surface (surface hoar, near surface facets) and also see how snow near the ground is metamorphing.  We have been lucky to reach a meter of snow this year early on in the season, a good depth to protect snow near the ground from changing quickly in response to swings of cold temperatures.  Depth-hoar crystal formation (sugar-snow) has been limited to lower elevations where the snow has been shallower than one meter.  The cold temperatures that we have been experiencing the past couple of days and what is forecasted the rest of the week can and will change the snow packs stability, unfortunately it is becoming less stable.  We are going to need some more snow to start thinking about another large avalanche cycle, and have the snow will react to the changes it is going through currently.  What this all boils down to is this…for today the avalanche danger will be MODERATE in pockets of wind slabs on slopes greater than 35 degrees above tree line.  The rest of the area will be LOW.  Enjoy the mixed conditions for now. 

 

Nordic and Skate Skiing:

An enjoyable day for you classic Nordic and Skate skiers as tracks are packed out and fast to Geyser Pass and Gold Basin.