Ogden Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Brett Kobernik

BOTTOM LINE

Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)


Danger Rose Tutorial

The avalanche danger is MODERATE on slopes of about 35 degrees or steeper with recent soft or hard wind drifts.  With the sustained winds overnight that no doubt continued to drift snow, I’m keeping pockets of a CONSIDERABLE danger above 9000 feet on slopes that face north through southeast.  This danger includes any fresh drifts as well as the chance of a slide breaking deeper into old snow.  Deeper releases are more likely in areas with a shallow snowpack of 4 feet total or less.  Remember to follow all travel protocols with only one person on a slope at a time.  Wait until people are clear of the runnouts and avoid getting underneath other people above you on the slope.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Under partly cloudy skies, temperatures are in the mid teens to low 20s.  West northwest winds continue to blow averaging 15 mph along the upper ridges and gusting into the 20s and 30s.  At the most exposed locations they’re gusting into the 40s.


RECENT ACTIVITY

Saturday was a busy day in many areas in the backcountry with lots of folks getting onto some steeper slopes with only minor avalanche activity in the form of smaller fresh wind drifts releasing from people and some minor sluffing.  Some put a lot of thought and planning into their choice of steeper lines while many others just rolled the dice.  Stability is on the increase but keep in mind that it hasn’t been that long since some large avalanches occurred.  Remember, tracks on a slope are not a sign that the slope is stable.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

 The winds were drifting snow along most ridges on Saturday that produced some small sensitive soft slabs and were starting to form hard slabs as well.  With continued winds overnight I’d expect more of the same today but some of these drifts will obviously be larger.  The soft slabs are fairly manageable with careful slope cuts but the hard slabs are much more unpredictable.  You’ll find these fresh wind drifted slabs mostly on the easterly facing slopes but keep an eye out for them on any aspect that may be cross loaded as you travel today.


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Almost every experienced backcountry traveler that ventured on to steeper slopes on Saturday did so with great caution and many kept an eye over their shoulder meaning that they weren’t totally at ease.  It is still possible to trigger a larger avalanche that breaks into our weak snow near the ground and you’re most likely to do so in areas where the snowpack is thin.  Chances are also greater on slopes with a northerly component to them.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

 

As we sit on the western side of a high pressure ridge we remain in a northwest flow with moisture spilling over the ridge.  This will produce cloudy skies today with ridgetop temperatures in the mid 20s.  Northwest winds will remain blustery this morning with speeds expected to slow a bit this afternoon.  We’ll have a chance of snow flurries later in the day through Monday with not much accumulation expected.  As of now, there are no chances for snow through the remainder of the week into the weekend.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Yesterday, Wasatch Powderbird Guides had limited operations in American Fork due to windy conditions.  They will try for American Fork and the Cascade ridge today if weather allows.  For details, click here to go directly to their operations planning page.

 

The Utah Avalanche Center is hosting a Level 2 avalanche class in February which is now open for registration by going to the Black Diamond retail store.  More information is HERE.

 

Beacon training parks are up and running!  On the Park City side, there is one at the top of Canyon’s gondola, in Little Cottonwood one is near the Snowbird parking structure on the bypass road, and in Big Cottonwood a training  park is at the west end of Solitude's lower parking lot.

 

If you want to get this avalanche advisory e-mailed to you daily click HERE.

 

For a text only version, the link is on the left side bar, near the top.

 

UDOT highway avalanche control work info can be found by calling (801) 975-4838. Our statewide toll free line is 1-888-999-4019 (early morning, option 8).

 

The UAC depends on contributions from users like you to support our work.  To find out more about how you can support our efforts to continue providing the avalanche forecasting and education that you expect please visit our Friends page.

 

Your snow and avalanche observations help everyone in the backcountry community.  Please let us know what you're seeing by leaving a message at (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, or email us at uac@utahavalanchecenter.org. (Fax 801-524-6301).

 

The information in this advisory is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content.  This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.  This advisory does not apply to ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally conducted.

 

Bruce Tremper will update this advisory by 7:30 tomorrow morning.


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.


This advisory provided by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with:

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority and the friends of the La Sal Avalanche Center. See our Sponsors Page for a complete list.