The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center will be teaching several introductory avalanche classes this winter called Backcountry 101. The first is coming up – an evening lecture on Thursday, Dec 16th, followed by a field day Saturday, December 18th. Sign-ups are at the Black Diamond retail store. Check our Education Page.

Announcing an online auction for a pair of Black Diamond Drift skis with custom Avy Center graphics. Your choice of 176 or 186 cm. Go to ebay and search for item 320624812251. These were custom built for the FUAC & all proceeds go to forecasting & education in Utah!

There is a LEVEL 2 (Moderate) danger of wind slab avalanches mostly along the high ridges on north through east facing slopes. As always, avoid steep slopes with recent wind deposits. There is also a LEVEL 2 (Moderate) danger of wet avalanche activity on any steep slope with damp or wet snow and especially watch for roof avalanches again. Otherwise, the danger is LEVEL 1 (Low).

Winds were strong overnight blowing 45 on the high ridges from the south and southwest, 35 gusting to 45 on many of the lower ridges. At the top of Arrowhead Lift at Sundance, the winds were blowing 25, gusting to 35. With light graupel falling this morning in the mountains temperatures remain very warm, just below freezing on the ridges and in the mid 30’s in most mountain locations this morning. The snow surface remains a mixed bag with rock-hard wind slabs along the upper ridges, soggy and sun-crusted snow on the southerly-facing slopes and there’s still some smooth, creamy, dense powder on the wind and sun sheltered slopes.

There was a close call yesterday from a roof avalanche in Park City. A longtime avalanche professional noticed fresh debris on the north side of the Albertson’s and he also noticed only half the roof had released. He took some photos to send to us and someone told him it released just 10 minutes earlier. Then, a person came along wearing ear buds and he did not respond to the warning shouts from my friend. Just as he exited ground zero, the rest of the roof released barely missing him. He walked on oblivious to the thunderous noise of the roof avalanche, which likely would have killed him instantly. Rock on, dude.

There were no reports of human triggered avalanches yesterday from the backcountry. Avalanche control in Daly Chutes at Deer Valley produced a number of hard, deep, wind slabs from the strong winds yesterday afternoon.

Strong winds from the south and southwest will continue along the ridges blowing 45 on the high peaks and 35, gusting to 40 on most ridges. Winds should diminish by afternoon. We will have mountaintop-level clouds with light snow showers today with accumulations from a trace to 2 inches. More snow will fall north of I-80 than south. Temperatures will remain warm, in the mid 30’s. Saturday, we should be cloudy with light snow showers and moderate to strong southwest ridge top winds.

The extended forecast calls for another weak disturbance on Monday and another on the 10th.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry - especially if you are adjacent to a ski area – please call the following agencies 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.

Salt Lake – Alta Central (801-742-2033)

Ogden – Snowbasin Patrol Dispatch (801-620-1017)

Provo – Sundance Patrol Dispatch (801-223-4150)

Discount Lift tickets: Ski Utah, Backcountry.com, Alta, Deer Valley, Park City, The Canyons, Wolf Mountain, Snowbasin, Beaver Mountain, Brighton, Sundance, and Solitude have donated a limited number of tickets for sale 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

You can participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting your avalanche and snow observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, or email to uac@utahavalanchecenter.org

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.

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