US Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest

 Introduction:  Good afternoon, this is Max Forgensi with the USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather advisory.  Today is Tuesday, March 14th at 3:30 p.m. This advisory will expire in 24 hours.

 

The Lasaloppet, an 18-k Nordic race in the La Sal Mountains, is scheduled for Saturday, March 25th, 2006.  Please call McKay Edwards at (801) 588-0911 or [email protected] form more information. 

 

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.

Please give us your observations from the field HERE.  The more observations we get, the better this forecast can be. 

  

General Conditions:

The storm has finally passed and the storm totals are incredible.  In the past week, 48”/121 cm of snow has fallen at the Geyser Pass Trailhead while 65”/162 cm has fallen in lower Gold Basin.  The snow is deep!   Backcountry skiing conditions in most areas will be top notch, although in densely treed areas you might not find the powder you are looking for…either by earlier powderhounds or from snow falling off the trees.  Open slopes will have the best powder conditions today.   The Grand County Road Department has kept up with all the snow that has been falling.  4WD would be nice.  Skate skiing conditions will improve later this week when Tagalong Tours gets up towards Geyser Pass in preparation for the LaSaloppet, scheduled for Saturday, March 25th, 2006.  Nordic Skiing conditions are wonderful.   

 

  Mountain Weather: (At 10,500’)

This Afternoon: Mostly sunny, with a high around 26. Breezy, with a south southwest wind between 15 and 20 mph.
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of snow showers after 5am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 11. Breezy, with a south southwest wind around 20 mph.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of snow showers, mainly between 11am and 5pm. Partly cloudy, with a high near 31. Breezy, with a southwest wind between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low near 10. West southwest wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 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’): (snotel link)

56” 

48” since 3/6/06

~

Blue sky powder day!

Geyser Pass

~

~

N/a 

~ 

Gold Basin and South Mountain

78”/200 cm

0

0

65”/162cm storm totals

Pre-Laurel Peak Station (11,705’)

N/a 

N/a 

Wx down

Transport winds out of south 

 

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

 

Finally, some clear weather!  And we were not let down.  The most notable avalanche observed this morning was in Dory Canyon which extended from Pencil chute all the way down Dory Canyon towards Corkscrew Glades.  This N-R5-D3-G avalanche had at least a 6’ crown line in places.  There were avalanches in Noriega’s trees, Exxon’s Folly, the chutes next to Exxon’s and in Red Snow Cirque as well.  Avalanches occurred on North-East aspects primarily.  The wind has increased this morning out of the south, which has been actively loading Northerly aspects.  Expect tender cornices and wind drifts near the tops of slopes and ridges on these aspects.  Today the sun has been hitting the slopes for the first time in a week.  This warm-up may be effecting the upper layers of the snow on primarily Southeast aspects.  The sun is good for stability, but a rapid increase in temperature is not.    

The BOTTOM LINE for today is CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger on all aspects on slopes steeper than 30 degrees in the La Sal and Abajo mountains. Heads up! Stay on top of the snow!