Moab Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Max Forgensi

BOTTOM LINE

Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)


Danger Rose Tutorial

The BOTTOM LINE for today will be an avalanche danger of LOW in the La Sal and Abajo Mountain ranges with pockets of MODERATE at and above tree line on steep slopes greater than 35 degrees that hold reactive wind skins.

The biggest danger in the mountains is injury due to a consistent mine field of rocks, logs, tiger traps. Making turns is a bonus and should be done cautiously.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

UPDATE: Thank you LUNA volunteer Mark Weissinger for grooming the ENTIRE Nordic Tracks on Friday the 30th. Go get some!

It appears 2011 is going out like a lamb, and coming in like a lamb in southeast Utah. The upper level trough has been a snow producer up in the Jackson, Wyoming area and in the Sawtooth mountains. Anyone looking for powder skiing, the start of 2012 will be a good time to take a road trip north.

Skate skiing and Nordic skiing will be your best winter pursuit in the La Sal and Abajo mountains. Back country skiing and snowmobiling is just downright dangerous currently. Loose, faceted snow barely cover a mine field of rocks, logs and tiger traps. It is just too risky to make a turn out there right now. Once the winds slow down on the ridge tops, it will be a great time to climb a peak in the winter!

But when life gives you warm, sunny days there is plenty of other pursuits in the Red Rock Desert.


RECENT ACTIVITY

No new activity to report.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 48 hours.

There is a potential to trigger wind slabs at and above treeline in the mountains of southeast, Utah. Taking a ride would lead to serious consequences, scraping you through rock gardens.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

@ 10,000' in Gold Basin, La Sal Mountains, Utah

Today: Sunny, with a high near 38. Breezy, with a northwest wind between 15 and 20 mph. Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 22. North northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph becoming calm. New Year's Day: Sunny, with a high near 41. East wind around 5 mph becoming northwest. Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 23. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. Monday: Sunny, with a high near 45. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25. Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 41. Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 24. Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 43.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Utah Avalanche Center-Moab will host a Basic Avalanche Awareness class at the Grand County Public Library on January 6th (Friday) at 6:00 pm.

Moab's annual AIARE Level I class is scheduled for February 3rd-5th. Call 435-636-3335 to sign up or for more details.


This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done.  This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.


This advisory provided by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with:

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority and the friends of the La Sal Avalanche Center. See our Sponsors Page for a complete list.