Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Ogden Area Mountains Issued by Paige Pagnucco for Sunday - March 4, 2018 - 5:43am
bottom line

The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE and could rise to HIGH during the day due to wind and heavy snowfall. Dangerous avalanche conditions exist in the Ogden area mountains and travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.

Recent high winds and expected heavy snowfall have created a complex problem - natural avalanches are possible and human-triggered avalanches are likely on slopes steeper than about 30 degrees. Choose less complex terrain for safe travel today.

Stay off of and out from under steep slopes at all elevations and avoid travel near or through any avalanche runout zones.

The safest riding today will be on slopes less than 30 degrees and unconnected to any steeper terrain.




special announcement

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.

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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current conditions

Well it's finally here! Sort of. Snowfall began early this morning and the Ogden area mountains have picked up 2-6" so far. Temperatures are in the teens F and winds are blowing 10-15 mph out of the northwest with ridgetop gusts in the 30's mph. The National Weather has backed off of super high forecasted snow totals and it looks like the mountains will pick up another foot by the end of the day which still isn't too shabby. Remember though that the winds cranked over the past two days so now wind slabs are buried beneath the new snow. Your best bet for safe, good riding conditions is in lower angle, sheltered terrain away from and not connected to any slopes steeper than about 30 degrees. With cooler temps today I expect the snow to be pretty nice, kind of light and fluffy.

For updated mountain weather conditions, check out our new OGDEN WEATHER PAGE.

*The Bountiful bench has already picked up almost 10".

recent activity

Ski area control teams reported stubborn wind slabs yesterday as well as a 3' deep avalanche that broke into very old, weak snow.

Wednesday, 2 separate slides were triggered in Hells Canyon, both at 8500', on northerly facing slopes, and running 2000' vertical feet down into the gully bottom.

We appreciate your backcountry observations - let us know what you're seeing out there HERE.

Wednesday Feb. 28, Snowboard triggered slide, Hells Canyon. pc: Snowbasin patrol.
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

We have had two days of very strong winds and wind slabs have formed in exposed upper and mid elevation terrain as well as on or around terrain features like subridges and gullies on exposed slopes off the ridgelines. Heavy snowfall today will bury existing wind slabs underneath making them hard to see. Winds are forecast to increase this afternoon and, with wind slabs building on top of wind slabs, it'll be safest to avoid steep slopes with freshly wind drifted snow and look for obvious signs of instability like cracking or collapsing. (click here to learn more about wind slabs.) Getting caught in even a small windslab could be dangerous as it could step down into older, weak snow and become bigger and more consequential.

Cornices are becoming more widespread along ridgelines and will continue to grow larger and more sensitive with today’s winds and heavy snowfall. Cornices often break back further than expected, on to what looks like flat terrain. Give them a wide berth and avoid travel below them.
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

Though weak layers are getting buried deeper beneath the new snow, recent triggered avalanches on buried layers of faceted snow on steep slopes show dangerous conditions exist in the Ogden area mountains. Many slopes have poor structure – soft sugary, weak layers, both mid-pack and near the ground. It seems some of the steep slopes are just waiting for a trigger, like more weight from snow and wind or a rider. It's hard to predict which slopes will slide though those facing northerly through easterly are the most likely and should be avoided, especially in continuously steep terrain or terrain with gullies, trees or cliff bands. This type of avalanche has the potential to run far down into low elevation terrain as evidenced by Wednesday's Hells Canyon slides so avoid travel under steep northwest through east facing slopes. Getting caught in this type of avalanche could be unsurvivable.

As with wind slabs, cracking and collapsing are bulls-eye clues to instability, but for persisent slabs these clues may not be present, and snow pit tests could be unreliable.

To learn more about persisent slab and other types of avalanche problems, click here.

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

Though not across the entire Ogden zone, areas of high snowfall intensity will create 1-2' deep storm snow avalanches very quickly during the day. The Bountiful bench has already picked up 9+ " so even travelers on low elevation trails should avoid crossing or being under steeper terrain today. With conditions changing so rapidly, the safest option is to stay of off all slopes steeper than about 30 degrees to avoid this problem.

weather

A WINTER STORM WARNING is in effect until 10pm tonight. Wind and heavy snowfall are anticipated across most of the Ogden zone today, though some areas will receive much more than others. Temperatures will only get into the teens and will get cooler as the day goes on. Westerly winds will blow 20-30 mph with gusts near 40+ mph. The foreacst for this storm has been a bit inconsistent but the mountains in general should hopefully end up with about a foot or more of snow by tonight. The storm clears out by Monday making way for partly sunny skies and daytime highs near 20 F.

If you choose to travel in the backcountry today be prepared for winter weather conditions.

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.