Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Provo Area Mountains Issued by Evelyn Lees for Thursday - February 19, 2015 - 6:13am
bottom line

The avalanche danger is LOW.




special announcement

Companion Rescue Workshops - Be confident in your backcountry avalanche companion rescue skills. We have two four hour clinics coming up - Sat Feb 21 5:30pm (NEW TIME) and Friday Feb 27 5:30pm. For more info, go to our Events page here.

Backcountry 101 for Snowshoers - 2 spots left. Snowshoeing in the backcountry is safer and more fun when you have at least a basic understanding of avalanches. You'll learn about recognizing avalanche terrain and become proficient in companion rescue. Join us Thursday February 19th from 5:30-8:30pm and Saturday February 21st from 8:30am-4:00pm. Space is limited. Sign up HERE.

Women's Intro to Avalanches at Snowbasin - 3 spots left. Join us February 19th and 21st for a Women's Intro to Avalanches at Snowbasin. This workshop begins with a three hour evening class in Ogden, followed by a 6 hour on-the-snow field day. Taught by Paige Pagnucco, Evelyn Lees and Bina Skordas, with members of Snowbasin Ski Patrol. Space is limited. Sign up HERE.

current conditions

Temperatures are in the 20s to mid-30s this morning. Combined with the clear skies, there is a solid refreeze of the snow surface on all aspects and elevations. Most of the snow surface is frozen hard and slick, and packed roads, trails and skin tracks have patches of extra slippery “black ice”. The westerly winds are averaging 10 to 15 mph along the ridgelines, with gusts in the 30s on the higher peaks.

The steeper sunny slopes will soften nicely today, providing true supportable corn skiing on due southerly facing slopes. And amazingly, there are still patches of soft recrystallized snow on shaded upper elevation, due northerly facing slopes.

recent activity

No new avalanches were reported from the backcountry.

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

The avalanche danger is low, but still take time to notice the details. A sluff or very shallow new soft drift could be triggered on steep northerly facing slopes, cornices can break off and there is the isolated chance of a random glide avalanche in drainages like Broads or Stairs. With the hard snow travel conditions, a slip or slide in the wrong spot could end with a terrifying ride. If you are on foot, snowshoes or skinning, consider the terrain you are heading to and if bringing an ice axe, crampons, whippets, and/or ski crampons could increase your safety.

weather

It’s going to be our last “spring day” for a while, so it’s worth enjoying. Clear sunny skies, with highs in the mid-40s at 8,000’ and the low 30s at 10,000’. The winds will remain from a westerly direction, with some moderate speeds across the highest terrain – 20 to 30 mph averages, with gusts in the low 30s. A mostly dry cold front should cross around dawn, plunging temperatures into the teens and accompanied by gusty northwesterly winds. Spring like convective snow showers should start Friday afternoon, and continue into the weekend, with general amounts of 1 to 4”.

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.  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.