Provo Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Bruce Tremper

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Perhaps you’ve seen portions of this video clip on TV, but here is the complete rescue along with interviews afterwards. It’s a miraculous live recovery of a snowmobiler buried about 3 feet deep without a beacon for about 20 minutes in the Uinta Mountains last weekend. It’s the best real-life avalanche rescue footage I’ve seen--destined to become a classic. Thanks to Craig and Trent for putting this together.

Enjoy. http://vimeo.com/channels/280967


BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

Although the snow is mostly stable, you can still find some low probability - high consequence avalanches on slopes that face the north half of the compass as well as east facing slopes in above-tree line terrain.

Also, there may be some localized, fresh wind slabs along the upper elevation ridges, especially on north facing slopes. As always, avoid all steep slopes with recent wind drifts.

Overall, the avalanche danger is mostly Moderate with pockets of Considerable danger.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

We wuz ROBBED! We got exactly zero snow. That’s right, nada.--the big horse collar. The Logan and Ogden area mountains got a couple inches with a mighty 4 inches recorded at Ben Lomond Peak.

And we really needed the snow because we have widespread areas of breakable sun crust on all aspects and elevations with the exception of some lingering soft, settled, dry snow on the upper elevation, straight north facing slopes. The lower elevation trails resemble ice skating rinks. The best we can hope for the next week is the development of some supportable corn on south facing.

We have partly cloudy skies with temperatures near 15 degrees.


RECENT ACTIVITY

There was no reported activity from yesterday either in the backcountry or resorts. But then again, very few people were out because of the poor snow conditions and gloomy weather.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 10 hours.

The intense warming last weekend followed by the cold today has dramatically settled and stabilized most of the avalanche problems from last weekend. But we still have some slopes where you may be able to trigger a low probability - high consequence avalanche. There remains a variety of persistent weak layers such as facets and surface hoar buried 2-3’ deep as well as depth hoar near the ground, which remains especially weak in the shallow snowpack areas including avalanche paths that slid earlier this season and remain shallow.

Unfortunately, the snow surface conditions will force everyone into the exact same terrain where many of these lingering hazards exist--upper elevation north through east facing slopes. I would continue to avoid steep, terrain without sun crusts, especially in thin areas.


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

The very strong winds from the south yesterday may have created some localized wind slabs in the upper elevation wind exposed terrain. However, there was very little snow to blow around, so wind slabs should be limited. You will find them on mostly north facing slopes along the very high ridges.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

The low dove into central and southern Utah and it's bringing us some wrap-around flow from the east today. We should have partly cloudy skies, slowly clearing from the north. Ridge top temperatures should rise from the mid teens to the mid 20's and ridge top winds will blow from the north through east around 10-15 mph. Thursday, the high should be around freezing with clear skies.

The extended forecast calls for a well-deserved rest for most of the week (we may finally be able to actually take some days off). We have a few days of wind and high clouds around next Tuesday or so.


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 and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033)

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

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

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

Twitter Updates for your mobile phone http://utahavalanchecenter.org/twitter)

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

Wasatch Powderbird Guides does daily updates about where they'll be operating on this blog http://powderbird.blogspot.com/ .

Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please 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.

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.