Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Moab Area Mountains Issued by Eric Trenbeath for Monday - February 26, 2018 - 6:15am
bottom line

The avalanche danger is MODERATE today but bare in mind that most accidents occur when the danger is trending down from considerable. Weak, sugary, faceted snow still exists at the base of the snowpack, and the potential for triggering an avalanche up to 3' deep remains. The danger is greatest on steep terrain, right around treeline and above that faces NW-N-E, particularly in areas that are overlain with wind drifted snow. Be alert to fresh wind loading today and avoid slopes with recent deposits of wind drifted snow. Most low elevation and south facing terrain offers LOW danger.




special announcement

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.​

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current conditions

Southerly winds are on the increase this morning averaging 20-25 mph with gusts to 40. Under clear skies, 10,000' temps are in the low teens. It was a glorious weekend in the La Sals with sunny skies, cold temperatures and fresh snow. It was great to see all the desert winter enthusiasts out enjoying it. February has been a good month for us during an extremely lean winter. The mountains have received 45" of snow since Feb 6, and last week brought 18" - 20" . Conditions are greatly improved but it's still thin up there so use caution and tread lightly.

Base depth in Gold Basin: 40" Base depth at Geyser Pass Trailhead: 27"

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: The road is snowpacked and icy in places. 4wd is recommended.

Grooming conditions: Trails were rolled out into Gold Basin yesterday.

recent activity

This natural avalanche on the NE Face of Tukno, AKA Gravel Pit Lanes, likely released during the storm on Thursday. A wind slab release up high ran down and triggered this deeper and clearly dangerous persistent slab avalanche. Note how it propagates out further left above the cliffs. A few other similar but smaller slides also occurred in the area. More details here.

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

The snowpack is showing signs of strengthening. Yesterday I didn't observe, or hear any reports of collapsing, and stabilty tests are becoming less reactive in some areas. Nevertheless, weak, sugary, faceted snow still exists at the base of the snowpack, and the potential for triggering an avalanche 3' deep or greater exists as well. The natural acitivity last Thursday illustrates the type of problem we are facing, and it is not something you want to be involved with. The danger is most pronouced in steep terrain right around treeline and above that faces NW-N-E, but there are a few outlying areas that face W and SE.

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

Southerly winds throughout the week have created wind slabs in upper elevation, wind exposed terrain. You can easily observe them as smooth rounded pillows liberally distributed throughout the high country. Older slabs have gained strength, but new drifts will continue to form with today's winds. Avoid any steep slope where the snow has a smooth, rounded appearance, or where you can detect recent deposits of wind drifted snow. The danger is greatest on steep terrain right around treeline and above that faces NW-N-E. In these areas, a triggered wind slab has the very real potential to step down causing a deeper and more dangerous persistent slab avalanche.

weather

general announcements

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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.