Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Provo Area Mountains Issued by Evelyn Lees for Thursday - January 8, 2015 - 7:05am
bottom line

The avalanche danger continues to be MODERATE for both natural and human triggered wet avalanches on all aspects and elevations, especially during the heat of the day. Get off of and out from under steep slopes before the snow becomes wet and soggy. Cornices are becoming sensitive, and could break off further back than expected.

There are still isolated places on upper elevation slopes facing northwest through east where a person could trigger a deeper, more dangerous slide failing on facets, a pockety MODERATE danger.




special announcement

Avalauncher testing from 10 am to 11 am in Big Cottonwood Canyon. A backcountry closure has been in effect since midnight for the Mineral Slabs area (south side of the road) and Elbow Fork to Rock House (north side of the road).

Ice climber Will Gadd is speaking tonight at the Utah Adventure Journal Speaker Series. It’s at 6 pm, at the Wildflower Lounge at Snowbird. More details on our Events Page.

current conditions

It’s been another warm night, with mtany of the stations in the Provo mountains stations in the mid-30s to low 40s. The winds have shifted to a more westerly direction, and increased slightly, with average speeds of 10 to 20 mph. The clear overnight skies will once again have provided a hard, surface refreeze to the snowpack.

The combination of heat and wind over the past week has taken its toll on the snow surface. Expect super variable snow conditions in the backcountry – from icy, slide for life surfaces and breakable crusts and wind board to wet and sloppy as the day heats up.

recent activity

Details are trickling in on a handful of slides that that failed on one of the persistent weak layers over the past 5 days. While none are these are from the Provo area mountains, this type of slide is possible there. The list is below. The Pfeifferhorn slides may be wind slabs. In addition, minor wet sluffs occurred yesterday, again mostly on east through southwest facing slopes.

01/6/2015 Salt Lake Murdock Peak Skier 2' 300 Northeast 9400 Facets Details
01/5/2015 Salt Lake Pfeifferhorn Natural unknown 100 Northeast 10500 Details
01/4/2015 Salt Lake 10420 Skier 150 North 9500 Facets Details
01/3/2015 Salt Lake Snake Creek Unknown 3" 125 Northeast 9800 Facets Details
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

Wet avalanches are still main concern for today, with many stations having gone 48 to 72 hours with no refreeze. While steeper, sunny slopes will continue to heat the most, also watch out for:

  • Wet sluffs and even shallow wet slabs on the shady slopes
  • Any remaining snow sliding off of roofs
  • Cornices becoming sensitive and breaking back further than expected
  • Glide avalanches in shallow snowpack areas on steep, rocky slabs
  • Cooling winds that may die down this afternoon, giving a surprise jump in the heating.

Have a game plan that includes early starts and finishes, switching aspects when the snow heats where you are, and having a safe exit plan that avoids steep slopes with wet snow.

Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 12 hours
description

As the past day’s slab avalanches show, there continue to be isolated places where a deeper, more dangerous slide could be triggered on an upper elevation slope facing northwest through east. The warming-caused persistent slabs show that you need to continue to approach this terrain with caution, excellent safe travel techniques, and a plan in case your snow pack evaluation is wrong. Old hard wind slabs can also be found in this same terrain, and should be avoided.

Left: Murdock slide, Konigssberg photo. Right: 10,420 slide,

weather

High pressure continues to dominate the weather, with continued clear skies and warm temperatures today. Highs today will again be near 50 at 8,000’ and in the upper 30s at 10,000’. The westerly winds will be in the 10 to 20 mph range across the highest peaks this morning, with occasional gusts in the 30s, but could decrease this afternoon. Increasing clouds tomorrow, with temperatures continuing to cool through the weekend. A few inches of snow are possible from a weak storm on Monday.

general announcements

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 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.

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), Canyons Resort Dispatch (435-615-3322)

Snowbasin Resort Dispatch (801-620-1017), Powder Mountain Dispatch (801-745-3772 x 123).

Sundance Dispatch (801-223-4150)

EMAIL ADVISORY  If you would like to get the daily advisory by email you will need to subscribe here.​ 

DAWN PATROL Hotline updated daily by 5-530am - 888-999-4019 option 8.

Twitter Updates for your mobile phone - DETAILS

UDOT canyon closures:  LINK TO UDOT, or on Twitter, follow @UDOTavy, @CanyonAlerts or @AltaCentral

Utah Avalanche Center mobile app - Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides Blog/Itinerary for the Day.  

Lost or Found something in the backcountry? - http://nolofo.com/

Ski Utah mobile snow updates

Discount lift tickets are now available at Backcountry.com with more resorts to come soon.  Thanks to Ski Utah and the Utah Resorts.  All proceeds go towards paying for Utah Avalanche Center avalanche and mountain weather advisories.

To those skinning uphill at resorts:  it is your responsibility to know the resort policy on uphill travel.  You can see the uphill travel policy for each resort here. IMPORTANT: Before skinning or hiking at a resort under new snow conditions, check in with Ski Patrol.  Resorts can restrict or cut off access if incompatible with control and grooming operations.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you shop from Backcountry.com or REI:  Click this link for Backcountry.com or this link to REI, shop, and they will donate a percent of your purchase price to the UAC.  Both offer free shipping (with some conditions) so this costs you nothing!

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on ebay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your ebay account here and click on ebay gives when you buy or sell.  You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny.

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 exist.