US Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest

 Introduction:  Good Morning this is Dave Medara with the USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather advisory.  Today is Tuesday, January 17th, 2006 at 8:00 pm. This advisory will expire in 24 hours.

 

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 TO THE FRIENDS OF THE MANTI-LA SAL AVALANCHE CENTER.

 

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.

 

MLAC NEWS: We have started an observer page for folks to send us their backcountry observations. Report what you see in your backcountry travels HERE. Please send us your reports on avalanches, ski conditions, road conditions, snow pit profiles etc. Thanks! You can also report observations at 435-636-3363.

  

General Conditions:

             12 inches of new snow now blankets the La Sal Mountains and we were the big winner in the Utah/W. Colorado area for snow totals from this last storm. We really needed it and conditions in the backcountry are on the mend. It would be a stretch to call things “good” in the La Sals right now however. We still need another storm to come through before we can say that.  Even after this storm we are still behind the curve, at about 80% of normal snowfall for the season, but we’ll take it nonetheless. Keep smiling, but expect to find some rotten snow out there under the fresh stuff that can bog down your skis or act like a trap door for your snowmachine. Also as several people have found out this weekend first hand, there is still a lot of ground hazard out there too, so pray for more snow later this week. We still really need it. Avalanche conditions are still pretty dicey out there so read on.

 

The road to the Geyser Pass Trailhead has been plowed and is in great shape for all vehicles.

 

 Mountain Weather: (At 10,500’)

             Today: Partly cloudy, with a high around 33. Northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
             Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 12. Breezy, with a west southwest wind between 10 and 20 mph.
             Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high around 34. Southwest wind around 15 mph.

             Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low near 10. Breezy, with a west southwest wind between 10 and 20 mph.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Weather Station/ Location

Snow Depth (HS):  in./cm

New Snow (HN) in./cm

6:00 a.m. Temp (F)

Current Observations:  Wind, 48 hour snow

Geyser Pass Trailhead (9,600’):

24’’ 

11” 

14 

11”, .7”h20

Geyser Pass

 N/a

n/a

N/a 

12” 

Gold Basin and South Mountain

35” 

12” 

N/a 

12” 

Pre-Laurel Peak Station (11,705’)

N/a 

N/a 

 13

Northerly@ 20-30 mph – Heads Up!

 

Avalanche Conditions: (Link to the International Avalanche Danger Scale here)

            Today we can expect to find a lasting hazard due to the new snow we have received and the current wind situation in the La Sals. LARGE plumes of wind transported snow are visible from town and on the downwind slopes where this snow is being deposited; weight is being added to the snowpack at a very high rate.

Snow does not like this. It gets pretty surly. Technical jargon aside, what this means is that the snowpack is being brought closer and closer to it’s release point,  and the weight of a skier or snowmachine could tip the balance.

On Our tour yesterday, we saw some sizeable releases on the East and Northeast face of Mt. Tukno and some smaller stuff low on Noriega’s Face. We also saw cracking, indicating slab formation, in the snowpack above treeline The reason we did not have more widespread activity was the relatively calm winds we had during the storm. That has now changed and the winds are blowing. For this reason expect the avalanche hazard to remain worthy of respect today. We are calling the Avalanche Danger CONSIDERABLE with pockets of HIGH in the La Sal Mountains on all slopes steeper than 35 degrees. The High avalanche danger would be more widespread if the North winds were not blowing snow onto south facing slopes that were bare scree before this storm. High hazard zones will be areas of wind deposition, cross loading and anything above treeline that did not slide. There are plenty of safe locations in the La Sals to enjoy the powder without taking any chances with avalanches. We urge you to make a conservative, informed decision today.

 

Take a look at a snowpit from our tour on 01/15/06 here.