Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Moab Area Mountains Issued by Eric Trenbeath for Sunday - March 19, 2017 - 6:57am
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The avalanche danger is generally LOW in the morning and mostly stable snow conditions exist on all aspects. With daytime heating, the danger for wet slide activity will rise to MODERATE, and backcountry travelers need to be alert to signs of instability such as roller balls, pinwheels, or sloppy wet snow up around their boot tops. Follow the sun and get off of exposed aspects if any of these signs are present. There is also an isolated or MODERATE danger for cornice fall. Give cornices a wide berth and stay out from under them, especially as the day heats up. Start early and end early, and as a general rule, plan to be out of avalanche terrain by around noon.




current conditions

Skies are clear and blustery winds are from the SW blowing in the 20 mph range with gusts in the 30's. It's 31 degrees on Pre Laurel Peak and 43 at the Geyser Pass Trailhead. Against all odds the corn harvest over the past several days has been has been quite good and today may be your last chance to get some. In spite of overnight low temperatures of above freezing, a good, supportable surface has developed nightly on SE-S-W aspects above 10,000', providing excellent corn conditions for those who choose to go after them. Work with the sun and start around 10:30 on SE aspects, and finish up by around noon on westerlies. Reed Kennard was up yesterday and posted this observation of his harvest.

Northerly aspects currently leave much to be desired, consisting primarily of a mixed bag of transitional snow and wind affected surfaces, but there are are some isolated areas with chalky, dry, turnable snow.

Wind, temperature and humidity on Pre Laurel Peak. (11,700')

Storm totals and temperature in Gold Basin. (10,000')

Snow totals, temperature and snow/water equivalent at the Geyser Pass Trailhead. (9600')

Visiting Alta Ski Patroller Peter Groves shreds the corn on the south face of Laurel Mountain. Photo by Moab local Ryan "Pye" Schantzenbach.

recent activity
Avalanche Problem 1
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 12 hours
description

With daytime heating, the danger for loose, wet slide activity will increase. Be alert to signs of instability such as roller balls, pinwheels, or sloppy wet snow up around their boot tops. Follow the sun and get off of exposed aspects if any of these signs are present. Start early and end early, and as a general rule, plan to be out of avalanche terrain by around noon.

Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

I haven't been mentioning this problem because of the limited area where they exist, but with more and more folks venturing up on to Mount Tukuhnikivatz, it's worth noting the large cornices that have developed on the ridges leading up to the summit. There are also a few other places where large cornices have developed, and it's important to remember to give them a wide berth and to stay out from under them, especially as the day heats up.

weather

Today look for another sunny warm day with high temperatures at 10,000' to be around 50 degrees. SW winds will blow in the 15-20 mph range. Tonight we'll see a few clouds move in ahead of the first in a series of Pacific storm systems that will affect the area this week. We'll see a chance of showers developing on Monday, with our best chance for snow Wed-Fri.

general announcements


Road Conditions: The road to Geyser Pass Trailhead is down to the dirt and relatively dry to the Trans La Sal Trailhead. Above that it is muddy with occasional patches of snow. The last few hundred yards to the parking lot are pretty sloppy by mid-day.

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The information in this advisory is from the US Forest Service which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.