Provo Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Bruce Tremper

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

We have issued a Special Avalanche Statement for continued complex and tricky avalanche conditions for the northern and central Utah mountains.

Yesterday Garret Smith died from injuries sustained the huge avalanche their party triggered on the Manti Skyline two days ago. Our deepest condolences go out to his friends and family. A big thanks to the heroic rescue by the Sanpete County Search and Rescue. Grant and Brett visited the site yesterday and posted a complete report.


BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

Avalanche issues are complex and tricky. Even people with avalanche training and proper rescue gear have been caught with one fatality. You can see cagy old dogs like me having a great time on slopes of 30 degrees or less until things settle out.

The avalanche danger is Level 3 CONSIDERABLE on slopes approaching 35 degrees and steeper for the following avalanche types:

Recent deposits of wind drifted snow, which will look smooth and rounded and feel punchy.

Density inersions within the new snow during times of heavy snowfall.

Deep slab avalanches on northernly facing, upper elevation slopes.

Wet avalanches on sun exposed slopes if the sun comes out.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

2-3 inches of snow fell overnight with another 6-8 inches expected this morning for Salt Lake and northward. Winds are moderate from the west but will likely pick up when the storm kicks in by mid morning.


RECENT ACTIVITY

Salt Lake and Park city area mountains: It was another active day yesterday. A solo skier triggered and was caught and injured his knee in a wind slab in Silver Fork. He was able to rescue himself. Skiers were able to trigger several more wind slabs (see Pink Pine report).

Provo Mountains: A couple large, deep slabs were visible Sunday morning on the north side of Timpanogos. These likely came down during the storm Saturday night and appear to have been triggered by cornice falls.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 8 hours.

With the expected snow and wind this morning, we should have yet another round of sensitive wind slabs and density inversions within the new snow. Wind slabs are smooth and rounded and feel punchy. In wind affected terrain, stay on slopes of 30 degrees or less. Some of these wind slabs may step down to a complex layering of snow this past couple weeks (see my observation from yesterday)


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

At least one deep slab avalanche 5-10 feet deep have occurred every time it snows or blows for the past month, so we don't expect anything different with this storm. All of these have been triggered by cornice falls but the weight of a person could also trigger one especially if you tickle it in a shallow area.


THREAT #3

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 10 hours.

The sun is very strong this time of year so if we see any sun this afternoon, you can expect the usual round of wet sluffs and occasional wet slabs on steep, sun exposed slopes.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Yet another round of snow and wind should impact areas from Salt Lake and northward this morning. We expect an additional 6-8 inches of snow and winds could be strong and gusty with the frontal passage this morning. Ridge top temperatures should be in the upper teens and ridge top winds should blow 20-30 from the west and northwest. Snow should end by afternoon and we may see some sun through the clouds.

The extended forecast calls for clear overnight with yet another round of snow and wind on Tuesday night into Wednesday.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

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.

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

UDOT canyon closures UDOT at (801) 975-4838

You have the opportunity to participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting avalanche and snow observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, or email by clicking HERE

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.


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.