Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Ogden Area Mountains Issued by Paige Pagnucco for Friday - March 3, 2017 - 6:45am
bottom line

The avalanche danger will again rise to the high end of MODERATE on all steep sunlit slopes with daytime warming. The steep east to south to west facing terrain is to be avoided by the time it becomes damp and unstable, usually in the mid-morning to mid-afternoon hours. Pockets of MODERATE exist for lingering wind slabs in steep exposed alpine terrain. Cornices are still gargantuan and unruly - take particular care along and beneath cornice-littered ridgelines.




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current conditions

A fine spring day is in the making - skies are clear, mountain temperatures are in the low 20's F, and southwesterly winds are blowing 10 - 15 mph, except for Ogden Peak which is seeing gusts into the low 30's. The sun did a bit of damage yesterday as temps rose and dampened the snow on southeast through west facing slopes. You'll likely find crusts of varying thickness on these aspects this morning. Wind has also damaged the surface snow in exposed areas. Your best bet for finding soft, settled, cold powder snow is on north facing sheltered terrain at the mid and upper elevations.

Check out an observation by Kory Davis from Thursday.
recent activity

Recent control work results include small stubborn wind slabs on N and NE aspects at higher elevations as well as somewhat touchy cornices. In general, observers are noting good overall stability.

Avalanche Problem 1
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 12 hours
description

With warm temperatures forecast today, direct sun and warming will dampen and loosen the snow on steep sunlit aspects. Rollerballs and natural wet sluffs are key indicators that the snow is becoming saturated and unstable. When the snow gets gloppy, it's time to move out of the sun and into the shade to avoid wet avalanches that could easily run on the slick crust underneath.

Know that avoidance of wet avalanche issues come down to place and time. For example - enjoy the east facing terrain in the early morning and then move to other, cooler aspects before they heat up. As with most things in life, timing is everything.

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

Lingering, isolated pockets of wind slab may be still be triggered on steep slopes in high elevation terrain. These pockets are predominantly found on north through east facing slopes. With continued gusty winds in exposed terrain, look for and avoid fresh wind drifts, though I expect new development to be minimal.

Avalanche Problem 3
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

Cornices are enormous. They may break off on approach and break back well beyond the apex of the ridgeline. Longtime observer Brian Smith in Ogden said it best - "it is difficult to tell where the earth ends and the snow begins." Avoid being on or beneath these gigantic whales of snow.

weather

In the Ogden area mountains today we'll have mostly sunny skies, moderate southwesterly winds, and daytime highs reaching to near 45°F at 8500'. The warming trend will continue into the weekend with the next storm system slated for later Sunday into Monday.

general announcements

Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

To get help in an emergency (to request a rescue) in the Wasatch, call 911. Be prepared to give your GPS coordinates or the run name. Dispatchers have a copy of the Wasatch Backcountry Ski map.

Backcountry Emergencies. It outlines your step-by-step method in the event of a winter backcountry incident.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry, but no one is hurt and you do not need assistance, please notify the nearest ski area dispatch to avoid a needless response by rescue teams. Thanks.

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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.