Advisory: Moab Area Mountains | utahavalanchecenter.org

Avalanche Advisory

Advisory: Moab Area Mountains	Issued by Eric Trenbeath for Friday - March 18, 2016 - 7:05am

bottom line

Overall, the avalanche danger is generally LOW but unstable snow may exist on isolated terrain features. Remain on the lookout for isolated wind slabs on the lee sides of terrain features if you venture into extreme, upper elevation terrain.

special announcement

Please help guide our discussions of website maintenance, upgrades or possible changes in coming years. Take this brief survey. As a way of saying thanks we'll be raffling a free avalanche class and other free stuff like hats, beanies, water bottles, etc

current conditions

UAC Director Mark Staples strikes his best Monty Atwater on the summit of Pre Laurel Peak.

Skies are clear this morning and NW winds are averaging 10-15 mph with gusts into the 20's along ridgetops. Temps are nice and cool - 29 degrees at the Geyser Pass trailhead, 20 in Gold Basin, and 17 on top of Pre Laurel Peak. Look for it to warm up to near 40 at 10,000' today for a beautiful, if not a bit breezy, day in the mountains.

Mark and I took a high tour around greater Gold Basin yesterday and found mixed but decent riding conditions. The dusting of snow from earlier in the week finally melted into the sun exposed slopes by mid-day, and good corn conditions are setting up on SE-S-W aspects. For the best corn snow, drop below the ridgetops and get out of the wind. We found dry snow on upper elevation, northerly aspects, but the wind has certainly had it's way with it since last weekend. Don't be deceived by smooth looking crusted areas - instead look for snow that is lightly etched for the softest, most turnable snow.

Looks can be deceiving. The softest, least crusted snow often has an etched appearance such as this.

Winds, temperature and humidity on Pre-Laurel Peak

New snow totals, temperature and humidity in Gold Basin

Total snow depth and temperature at Geyser Pass Trailhead

recent activity

Avalanche Problem 1

type	aspect/elevation	characteristics
		LIKELIHOOD LIKELY UNLIKELY SIZE LARGE SMALL TREND INCREASING DANGER SAME DECREASING DANGER over the next 24 hours
description In our travels yesterday we found little to be concerned with. We noted isolated wind slabs on upper elevation northerly aspects, but they were fairly obvious, easy to detect, and are for the most part, welded into place. I still wouldn't jump on one in areas of more extreme terrain, where the possibility of release could carry you over a cliff or rock band, or take you for a long ride down a very steep slope. Look for the usual smooth rounded pillows, or ribbons of wind drifted snow on the lee sides of sub ridges, gully walls or rock bands, and avoid them in areas of steep, radical terrain. In very isolated instances, one of these slabs could also release on faceted, sugary snow in areas where the snowpack is very shallow and weak. Of note for the future - we observed some loose, near surface facets beneath a thin wind crust, that could develop into our next weak layer should we ever see new snow, or if new wind slabs form on top. .

type

aspect/elevation

characteristics

LIKELIHOOD

LIKELY

UNLIKELY

SIZE

LARGE

SMALL

TREND

INCREASING DANGER

SAME

DECREASING DANGER

over the next 24 hours

description

In our travels yesterday we found little to be concerned with. We noted isolated wind slabs on upper elevation northerly aspects, but they were fairly obvious, easy to detect, and are for the most part, welded into place. I still wouldn't jump on one in areas of more extreme terrain, where the possibility of release could carry you over a cliff or rock band, or take you for a long ride down a very steep slope. Look for the usual smooth rounded pillows, or ribbons of wind drifted snow on the lee sides of sub ridges, gully walls or rock bands, and avoid them in areas of steep, radical terrain. In very isolated instances, one of these slabs could also release on faceted, sugary snow in areas where the snowpack is very shallow and weak.

Of note for the future - we observed some loose, near surface facets beneath a thin wind crust, that could develop into our next weak layer should we ever see new snow, or if new wind slabs form on top.

weather

Sunny but breezy conditions will prevail today. Winds back off on Saturday and a beautiful spring weekend is on tap. An unsettled weather pattern is setting up for early next week.

Today

Sunny, with a high near 38. Breezy, with a northwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph.

Tonight

Mostly clear, with a low around 19. Blustery, with a northwest wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 33. North northwest wind around 15 mph.

Saturday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 26. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 15 to 20 mph becoming west after midnight.

Sunday

Sunny, with a high near 41. West southwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

general announcements

Road Conditions: The road is a mix of dirt at lower elevations that turns to mud as the day progresses.

To post an observation go here. You can view Moab observations here. You can also give me a call on my cell phone at 801-647-8896

To receive this advisory by email go here.

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 exist.

Sponsor Ads