Ogden Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Evelyn Lees

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

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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 steep slopes with about a foot or more of new snow and on all steep slopes with recent deposits of wind drifted snow – human triggered slides are possible. The danger for wet avalanches will rapidly rise to MODERATE anywhere there is direct sun, warming temperatures, and light winds.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Yesterday’s blast of winter dropped 6 to 14” of snow in the Cottonwoods, 3 to 8” in the Ogden and Park City mountains, and a dusting of a few inches in the Provo mountains. It also dropped temperatures in the Ogden area mountains into the 15 to 25 degree range. The northwesterly winds are currently averaging 10 to 20 mph, but got a bit out of hand yesterday afternoon, with exposed locations gusting into the 40's. Turning and riding is improved on wind sheltered, less tracked northerly facing slopes, where there is soft snow beneath. On other aspects, it’s acceptable dust on crust.


RECENT ACTIVITY

The snow came fast and furious at times yesterday, with the Ogden area mountains reporting new snow human triggered activity. Shallow soft slabs and sluffs were easy to trigger with slope cuts, especially on wind drifted slopes, with a few gathering speed and snow.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 12 hours.

Today, we have a variety pack of springtime new snow issues.

First, yesterday’s burly northwesterly winds found plenty of snow to transport. Sensitive drifts will be most widespread along the higher ridge lines, but also exist where the winds worked down into the mid and lower elevations. Any drifts will be easy to trigger on steep slopes, so avoid any steep slopes with recent wind deposits, which will look smooth and rounded and feel slabby or sound hollow. Watch for pockety cross loading around sub ridges, mid slope break overs and gully walls. There may be a northeasterly wind event mid day, so additional loading could occur on southerly facing slopes, creating a fresh batch of sensitive new drifts.


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Out of the wind drifted terrain, you will still need to check how well the new snow is bonding to the old snow surface and to itself. Jump on small test slopes and do several defensive slope cuts at the top of your run. Expect to trigger sluffs and shallow soft slabs, and watch for deeper pockets where snow pooled beneath cliffs.


THREAT #3

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 10 hours.

The new cold snow will be very sensitive to any rapid temperature change, and later today, if the sun shines, temperatures warm, and winds drop off all at the same time, both natural and human triggered wet loose sluffs are possible. Some of these could run briskly and far on the hard crusts beneath, grabbing all the new snow as they go, and piling up significant debris piles. So avoid steep, sun lit slopes as the snow heats up and carefully plan your end-of-the-day exits.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

High pressure is pushing its way in, bringing clearing skies and rapidly warming temperatures. 8,000’ temperatures will warm to near freezing, and 10,000’ highs reach the mid 20s. The northwesterly winds will remain in the 10 to 20 mph range, with gusts along the most exposed ridgelines in the 40’s. Winds will shift to the northeast mid morning, and may briefly pick up, before dropping off significantly. It is going to be downright hot Sunday through Tuesday, with moderate to strong southwesterly winds. Then a broad Pacific trough will bring cooler, unsettled weather starting late Tuesday into the weekend.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The ability to deal with medical emergencies is a vital backcountry travel skill. On April 2-4, Utah Wilderness Safety will be conducting a Wilderness & Remote First Aid course in SLC. As an added bonus, WMS has agreed to donate a percent of the class proceeds to the FUAC. For more details, go to our events calendar or www.utahwildernesssafety.com/FIRST-AID.html.

SLC: Please contact Alta Central (801-742-2033) if you trigger a large avalanche in the backcountry, especially if you are adjacent to a ski area, to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

Ogden: Please contact Snowbasin ski patrol (801620-1000/1017) if you trigger a large avalanche in the backcountry, especially if you are adjacent to a ski area, to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

Provo: Please contact Sundance ski patrol (801 -223-4150) if you trigger a large avalanche in the backcountry, especially if you are adjacent to a ski area, to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

Discount Lift tickets: Ski Utah, Backcountry.com and the local resorts donated lift tickets, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Utah Avalanche Center. To get the last few tickets left for Park City, Beaver Mountain, and Sundance – click here at discounted prices.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides flight plan.

Dawn Patrol Forecast Hotline, updated by 05:30:888-999-4019 option 8.

Daily observations are frequently posted by 10 pm each evening.

Free UAC iPhone app from Canyon Sports.

Subscribe to the daily avalanche advisory e-mail click HERE.

UDOT canyon closures UDOT at (801) 975-4838

We appreciate all your avalanche and snow observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, or fill out the observation form on our home page.

Donate to your favorite non-profit – The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center. The UAC depends on contributions from users like you to support our work.

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.

Brett will update this forecast tomorrow morning. Thanks for calling.


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.