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 Monday, March 6th at 7:30 am. This advisory will expire in 24 hours.

 

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:

           Light winds and warm temperatures in the mountains yesterday left no doubt that spring is on the way. Winter snowpack conditions still exist on northerly aspects of the mountains but springtime melt-freeze conditions are happening and slopes with a thin snow cover are already melting out down to the Talus. Some of the runs we were able to ski late in the spring last year are already mostly bare rock. Where there is snow, good corn skiing on supportable crusts can be found on SE, SW and W facing slopes. This is the best bet for turns right now as everywhere else is a mix of windcrusts, raincrusts and faceted snowgrains with extremely variable supportability and trapdoor potential. The Skate skiing is in good shape right now and the road to the Geyser Pass Trailhead is plowed nicely. A snowy week is in the forecast and we can really use it.

 

  Mountain Weather: (At 10,500’)

Today: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50. Breezy, with a south southwest wind between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Tonight: A 50 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Windy, with a south southwest wind between 20 and 30 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. Breezy, with a southwest wind between 20 and 25 mph. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
Tuesday Night: Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low near 22. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph becoming north northwest. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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’): (snotel link)

24” 

0

39

Marginal freezing

Geyser Pass

 130 cm

0

N/a 

Deepest place these days 

Gold Basin and South Mountain

42”/105cm 

0

n/a

 

Pre-Laurel Peak Station (11,705’)

N/a 

N/a 

26.7

6:00 am-Southerly @ 20-30 mph 

 

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

           We’ve been looking at the snowpack intensely the last few days as we travel through the La Sal Mountains with our Level II avalanche class. What we are finding is an incredible mixed bag of snowpack conditions out there ranging from deep, moderately strong snow with no significant instabilities; to shallow, weak snow that fails with the tap of a finger. We are also starting to see a major change on solar slopes as the snowpack changes to a more melt-freeze form.

There is not much going on out there avalanche wise at this time, but with such a weak and variable snowpack, we are hesitant to lower the avalanche danger rating. If we base the forecast on our weakest shear, we would still have the hazard in a higher range, but we are not seeing these weak shears everywhere. Daytime warming is also a factor as we move into spring and afternoon wet slides start to become a real danger. The BOTTOM LINE for today is a two part forecast. On steep NE-NW facing slopes expect to find a MODERATE avalanche danger, on E-SE-SW-W facing slope expect to find a LOW danger early in the day with the danger increasing to MODERATE as the temperatures rise. Your best bet these days is an early start and an early finish. Thanks for checking in.

 

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.