Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Moab Area Mountains Issued by Eric Trenbeath for Tuesday - February 20, 2018 - 6:08am
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The avalanche danger is HIGH today and travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. New snow, combined with strong winds and blowing and drifting snow have overloaded our fragile snowpack creating dangerous conditions in the backcountry. Human triggered avalanches up to 3' deep are certain. Backcountry travelers today must have excellent route finding skills, be able to recognize avalanche terrain, and stay off of and out from under steep slopes.




special announcement


Grand County will be plowing today and the road will be closed from around 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Episode 5 of the UAC podcast "To Hell in a Heartbeat - A Conversation With Tom Diegel and Matt Clevenger About the 12.26.08 Full Burial on Little Water" is live. Matt and Tom talk about the avalanche documented in To Hell in a Heartbeat. Check it out on ITunes, Stitcher, the UAC blog.​

The UAC Marketplace is still open. Our online marketplace still has deals on skis, packs, airbag packs, beacons, snowshoes, soft goods and much more.
current conditions

After fits and starts and lots of bluster, the storm finally delivered starting around 6:00 pm last night and depositing 10" of light fluffy powder before midnight. It was full conditions in the mountains yesterday with strong south winds and lots of blowing and drfiting snow. Winds backed off when the heavy snow started to fall and are currently averaging 10-15 mph from the west. Temperatures have plummeted and it's currently 4 degrees at the Geyser Pass Trailhead.

It's been a long time coming but winter is finally here and we now have a skiable and rideable base. The snowpack is still shallow however and many obstacles remain.

Base depth at Geyser Pass Trailhead: 20"

Base depth in Gold Basin: 40"

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: Grand County will be plowing today and the road will be closed between 9:00 and about noon.

Grooming conditions: Trails are covered in fresh snow.
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

New and wind drfited snow have over loaded the weak layers in our fragile snowpack creating dangerous persistent slab conditions. The period of greatest danger occurred last night but human triggered avalanches up to 3' deep are certain today. The danger is greatest on steep slopes facing W-N-E at mid and upper elevations, but overloaded weak snow exists on all aspects. Backcountry travelers should simply avoid avalanche terrain by staying off of and out from under steep, and locally connected slopes.

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

Strong winds and blowing and drifting snow have created dangerous wind slabs at all elevations in exposed terrain. The danger increases with altitude but backcountry travelers need to avoid any steep slope with recent deposits of wind drifted snow. A triggered wind slab will almost certainly step down into buried weak layers causing a deeper and more dangerous persistent slab avalanche. Again, backcountry travelers should simply avoid all steep terrain.

weather

It's going to be frigid today as winds shift direction and the storm moves out of the area. High temps at 10,000' will be in the single digits with wind chill values well below zero. We'll see a little break with some partially clearing skies into tomorrow before the next system moves into the area.

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.