| Please join us at the 23rd annual Black Diamond Fall Fundraiser Party Thursday Sept 15. Tickets are on sale now here, at the Black Diamond store & at REI. Special bonus raffle for online ticket purchasers! |  |
| Advisory: Provo Area Mountains | Issued by Evelyn Lees for Friday - January 1, 2016 - 6:48am |
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bottom line The Avalanche Danger is MODERATE on mid and upper elevation slopes facing west through north through east that are steeper than about 35 degrees, where in isolated places a person could still trigger a large avalanche breaking to the ground. Lower angle slopes and those that have slid offer safer choices. There is also a MODERATE danger for triggering small new wind slab, especially along the higher ridgelines.
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special announcement Tuesday, Jan 5th - Whole Foods Market in Cottonwood Heights has invited us back to participate in 5% Day, where for one day they donate 5% of the net sales to the Utah Avalanche Center. We will also be in the store from noon until 6:00 pm answering questions and spreading the winter stoke! More information here.
Wednesday, Jan 6th – Join us at 7 pm for a showing of the award winning film Meru at Brewvies to benefit the Utah Avalanche Center. For details and advance purchase discount tickets, go here. |
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current conditions Under clear skies, temperatures are still in the single digits this morning, but mostly above zero instead of below. The only remaining negative numbers are where the cold air has pooled in the canyon bottoms. Winds are a slight spoiler though – from a southeasterly direction, they’re averaging 20 to 25 mph across the peaks and high ridge lines, and gusting to 45 mph in a few locations. Snow quality remains excellent on most aspects, with powder over a supportable base. |
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recent activity No new avalanches were reported from the backcountry yesterday, but with the great visibility, more reports came in of the impressively widespread avalanche activity from around December 23rd. |
| type | aspect/elevation | characteristics |
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LIKELIHOOD
 LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
 LARGE
SMALL
TREND
 INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
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description
The facets on the ground are strengthening in some areas, but they remain weak, loose and sugary in others. Capped with a strong slab, triggering one of these slides is getting harder and harder, but if you do trigger one, it will still break near the ground. Slopes steeper than about 35 degrees facing west through north through east that did not slide last week continue to be suspect - especially in shallower snowpack areas and rocky terrain. Low angle terrain and slopes that have avalanched are safer. Some slopes that have slid are obvious, others not so much. Look at the slopes that slid in the photos below. Left is Ants Knoll, Deven Serr photo; Right is Rob Noack photo, Big Horn Mt, Box Elder area.
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| type | aspect/elevation | characteristics |
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LIKELIHOOD
 LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
 LARGE
SMALL
TREND
 INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
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description
The southeasterly winds are blowing and drifting the light density snow - loading it both on and off the ridge lines. Avoid these soft cracky drifts, which are most widespread on northerly and westerly facing slopes.
In addition, you may be able to trigger a few loose snow sluffs in the weakening surface snow. |
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weather Under clear skies and lots of sunshine, a slow warming trend will allow 10,000’ temperatures to reach into the mid teens today. The southeasterly winds will continue to blow along the ridge lines in the 15 to 25 mph range, slowly decreasing through out the day. A switch to a southwesterly flow Saturday and Sunday will bring increasing clouds and winds, with temperatures warming into the mid 20s to low 30s. |
general announcements
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