Introduction: Good
morning! This is Dave Medara with
the
WE ARE STARTING TO FILL UP OUR AIARE LEVEL 1 AND LEVEL
2 CLASSES BEING HELD IN THE LA SALS THIS YEAR. THE LEVEL 1 IS FEBRUARY 3RD-5TH
(FRI-SUN), WHILE OUR LEVEL 2 IS MARCH 3RD-6TH (FRI-MON). CALL (435) 636-3363 FOR MORE INFORMATION
AND TO SIGN UP. EACH CLASS IS
LIMITED TO 12 STUDENTS. TUITION
GOES DIRECTLY TOWARDS THE FRIENDS OF THE
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:
Finally a change
in the La Sals! Dave Medara is
back in action starting today as an avalanche forecaster for the Manti-La Sal
Avalanche Center. We also received
a paltry 1” of snow on Sunday evening.
The skate-skiing and Nordic skiing conditions are phenomenal
up to Geyser Pass and Gold Basin currently. Unfortunately, backcountry skiing is currently limited to
only a couple of select spots up in the La Sals. Plenty of ground hazards exist to trip you up, so be
careful! The Grand County Road
Department hasn’t been up to plow the inch so the road is still icy and snow
packed in spots. 4WD and chains
are recommended.
Current Conditions: (click location for latest data)
Geyser
Pass Trailhead (9,600’): 5.5”
at the SNOTEL. 27.1 degrees at the
trailhead at
Gold Basin and South Mountain:
21” of settled snow on the ground.
Mountain Weather: (At 10,500’)
Today: A 20 percent chance of snow before
noon. Partly cloudy, with a high near 32. North northwest wind between 5 and 10
mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 23. North northeast wind
between 5 and 10 mph.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy, with a high around 37. North northeast wind 5
to 10 mph becoming southeast.
Avalanche Conditions: (Link to the
International Avalanche Danger Scale here)
They say people can create a collective consciousness
to change anything in this world.
Anyone who hasn’t burned a ski or washed your car or haven’t stayed up
watching old ski movies should do so in short order. Our best chance for precipitation is today and Monday…lets
hope for the best! As I have been saying
for too long, North aspects at and just below tree-line is where you will find
our weakest snowpack. Observers
have pointed out that there is a 8-10” slab sitting on some of this sugar snow;
i.e. depth hoar, facets…which in turn has no strength and can avalanche to the
ground if an unsuspecting backcountry skier places his turn or ski cut the
wrong (or right) place to initiate this failure. Any avalanches will use trees, rocks, logs and humans to
connect the dots and make a crown line.
The BOTTOM LINE in these
areas is going to be MODERATE. The rest of the range is going to have
a hazard rating of LOW.