Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Moab Area Mountains Issued by Eric Trenbeath for Saturday - January 27, 2018 - 7:29am
bottom line

The overall avalanche danger is MODERATE but areas of CONSIDERABLE danger exist in steep terrain that faces NW-N-E above about 11,000' where more than 16" of snow can be found overlying weak, sugary, faceted snow on the ground. Areas of freshly drifted snow will also be found in upper elevation, wind exposed terrain. These new wind slabs will add stress to the already dangerous persistent slab problem on upper elevation, northerly aspects, and travelers should avoid steep terrain in these areas.

On south facing, mid and lower elevation terrain the avalanche danger is LOW.
special announcement

Episode 3 of the UAC podcast is live. We talk with UDOT Avalanche Program Supervisor Bill Nalli on how he and his teams keep the Greatest Snow on Earth from avalanching over the open roads and highways of the state. Check it out on ITunes, Stitcher, the UAC blog, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm sorry to see we've had to cancel our Backcountry 101 classes due to lack of snow.

The UAC Marketplace is online. The holiday auction is closed, but our online marketplace still has deals on skis, packs, airbag packs, beacons, snowshoes, soft goods and much more.
current conditions

The mountains picked up a surprise dose of low density snow on Friday totaling 3-6", and if nothing else, provided a glimmer of hope for winter enthusiasts.

In spite of almost 20" of new snow since last Sunday, there still just isn't enough base for safe skiing and riding conditions off the groomed trails and roads. Sunday's storm snow has settled out and the base depth at Geyser Pass Trailhead is 16". Overall coverage ranges from about a foot on sun exposed slopes, to up 20" in favored locations. Hard core enthusiasts tracked out the lower angle, grassy slopes over the weekend, but for now, the best game in town continues to be on groomed trails and roads.

New snow totals in Gold Basin.

Snow totals at the Geyser Pass Trailhead, (9600')

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

Road conditions to Geyser Pass Trailhead: Light snow from Friday will be well packed in.

Grooming conditions: Gold Basin was groomed with classic track on Friday with plans to groom over Geyser Pass today.

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

With so little overall snow on the ground, it seems odd to say that there are some dangerous avalanche conditions out there. But the reality is that steep, north facing terrain right around treeline and above does have areas of considerable avalanche danger, and human triggered avalanches remain likely. On Tuesday my partners and I remotely collapsed an entire starting zone on a NE aspect at 11,200', and snow stabilty tests continue to produce very reactive results. For the forseeable future, backcountry travelers should avoid, steep, northerly facing, upper elevation terrain where more than about 16" of snow rests on top of an unstable, loose, sugary, basal facet layer.

This video illustrates the current condition.

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

Gusty southwest winds raked the high country on Thursday blowing snow and forming stiff wind slabs in upper elevation, wind exposed terrain. Though now gaining strength, many of these slabs will be covered by the new snow we picked up on Friday. If stomping around in the high country, be on the lookout for smooth, rounded deposits of wind deposited snow that have a hollow feel or sound to them. On northerly facing aspects, these new wind slabs have added additional stress to underlying persistent weak layers, and a triggered wind slab could step down causing a deeper and more dangerous avalanche.

weather
general announcements

The UAC has new support programs with Outdoor Research and Darn Tough. Support the UAC through your daily shopping. When you shop at Smith's, or online at Outdoor Research, REI, Backcountry.com, Darn Tough, Patagonia, NRS, Amazon, eBay a portion of your purchase will be donated to the FUAC. See our Donate Page for more details on how you can support the UAC when you shop.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on eBay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your eBay account here and click on eBay gives when you buy or sell. You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny

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.