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 Saturday, April 1st at 8:00 a.m. This advisory will expire in 24 hours.

 

CHECK OUT OUR NEW GROOMING EQUIPMENT!  Check out photos of a large avalanche in Dorry Canyon here.

 

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.

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

 

  

General Conditions:

         Stormy weather continues into today with a SNOW ADVISORY for the La Sal Mountains.  Another 0.20” of water accumulated at the Geyser Pass Trailhead SNOTEL site last night, giving us another 1.5”-2”, with more on the way.  Temperatures yesterday reached into the low forties and stayed above freezing for most of the day until midnight last night.  Due to the lack of sun the past couple days, corn skiing will not be happening today.  Your best bet for turns will be on North aspects above 10,000’.  Observers have reported a very supportable base with 8” of nice powder skiing.  Skate skiing and Nordic skiing conditions will depend on how much traffic has been up to Geyser Pass.   This coming Friday we hope to test out all of the grooming equipment, conditions will improve then!

          The road to the trailhead will be snow packed up high and muddy down low.  4WD is recommended, although 2WD today will probably suffice. 

 

  Mountain Weather: (At 10,500’)

Today: Periods of snow showers. Some thunder is also possible. High around 33. Breezy, with a southwest wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.
Tonight: Periods of snow, mainly before 11pm. Low around 21. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph becoming northwest. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Sunday: Partly cloudy, with a high around 35. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west southwest. Winds could gust 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)

46” 

1.5”-2”

28

Snow Advisory for today

Geyser Pass

85” est.

 

N/a 

Settled Powder

Gold Basin and South Mountain

~

0

n/a

12+” from this weeks storm 

Pre-Laurel Peak Station (11,705’)

N/a 

N/a 

20 degrees

Winds out of the Southwest between 20 and 34 mph

 

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

 

Strong winds continue to surface on the La Sal Mountains from the Southwest and foreboding skies promise the advent of another storm.  Highway 550 in Colorado saw a myriad of avalanche yesterday…new snow/old snow interface, to the ground and on the dirt layer, although most naturals were in the new snow/old snow interface.  Considering we do not have a control program in place in the La Sals, most natural avalanches that will be observed today will be in the form of loose snow avalanches on steep, above-treeline slopes.  This does not rule out the possibility of some rouge depth hoar laying about waiting to be triggered.  The stability tests are giving hard results, the snow pack structure is decent.  The only question for today is if there is any wind slabs sitting out there storing a lot of potential energy.   The BOTTOM LINE for today will be an avalanche danger of CONSIDERABLE on steep, above-treeline slopes on North through East aspects.  The rest of the mountain range will have a avalanche danger of MODERATE.  Thanks for checking in!