US
Forest Service
Manti-La Sal National
Forest
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Introduction: Good morning, this is Max
Forgensi with 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. 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 |
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General Conditions: Ridge
top winds yesterday were consistently blowing out of the south of
southwest. For the past 24
hours, wind averages have been between 14 and 27 mph on top of ridges. Yesterday was a beautiful day in the
La Sal’s, today should be a bit warmer and the winds should die down. Snow surface conditions will be mixed
today. You will find supportable
and breakable crusts on South through West aspects while on North aspects you
can still find some consolidated powder on wind/sun protected slopes…read the
trees. In the alpine, there are
places with no snow and places with thin ribbons of snow. Be careful, the snow pack is still
thin in these areas. I
would ski conservatively and be careful once again of ground hazards. We are only at 71% water equivalent
for the La Sal Mountains so far this year.
The road to the Geyser Pass trailhead has been graded down low and
plowed up high, there are some icy spots on the road. The Nordic and Skate skiing
conditions up to Geyser Pass and into Gold Basin will be wonderful
today. Mountain Weather: (At 10,500’) Today: Partly cloudy, with a high near 43. South southwest wind between 10
and 15 mph. |
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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 |
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Geyser
Pass Trailhead (9,600’): (snotel link) |
24” |
0 |
32 |
Already at freezing |
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Geyser Pass |
133 cm |
0 |
N/a |
Deepest place these days |
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42”/105cm |
0 |
n/a |
|
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N/a |
N/a |
18.7 |
6:00 am-South-Southwest
@ 18 gusts to 31 |
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Avalanche Conditions: (Link to the
International Avalanche Danger Scale here) The wind
has been really strong for the past 48+ hours, meaning any available snow for
transport in fetch areas on Southerly aspects will have moved. Many factors will have limited the
snow transport…lack of snow on Southerly aspects, warm temperatures that have
made any snow available for transport too heavy to transport and finally the
dry air mass will more than likely sublimate any snow that is able to
transport into the atmosphere.
If any wind slabs formed in the past 48 hours, they will be very
isolated pockets and will be found much lower in starting zones than
anticipated. Before the blow
dryer turned on, the snow on the ground had a very weak snow pack
structure. Facets reign on
Northerly aspects while Southerly aspects have reactive crust
sandwiches. The BOTTOM
LINE for today will be an avalanche danger of MODERATE on steep
North-East aspects with the classic slab/weak layer (depth hoar)/bed surface
(ground) with no anchors and pronounced trigger points. Be careful on those South-West
aspects where crust sandwiches are lying about as well. Although these areas are isolated
today, I am reluctant to give the LOW avalanche danger for all areas today. Our continental snow pack has yet to heal itself of basal
instabilities. We need your observations! Call
435-636-3363 or use the link near the top of the page to get to the observers
page! Yes, DO IT! Take a look at a snow pit from our
tour on 01/15/06 here.
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