Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Provo Area Mountains Issued by Drew Hardesty for Thursday - February 25, 2016 - 6:23am
bottom line

The avalanche danger is generally LOW. Minor wind pockets and dry loose sluffs should only pose a problem in extreme terrain. Human triggered wet sluffs are possible when riding and traveling through the steep sunlit aspects if and when they've become wet and unsupportable.




special announcement

Check out our Garage Sale! Chock full of sweet backcountry gear - you can find the goods on our Facebook page here.

current conditions

Skies are clear, winds are light, temps are in the upper twenties. Travel conditions are easy, riding conditions are good. People are skiing, riding, booting, extreme snow-angel-ing* everything that's painted white out there. Get after it.

* KBYG.org Watch the video, you'll get it.

recent activity

BC reports only included that of very shallow and manageable wind pockets and minor loose dry sluffs.

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

Remember, risk is always inherent in mountain travel. Even with a Low Danger, avalanches can still happen in isolated places.

Consider the following:

  • Shallow sluffs and lingering, stubborn wind drifts may be found in steep terrain. Consequences: Burial is unlikely, but trauma is likely if above unforgiving terrain.
  • Cornice fall - A skier wandered just outside of the Targhee resort in Wydaho a couple days ago and collapsed the cornice he was standing on. He and the cornice then triggered an avalanche in steep terrain where he subsequently did not survive the outcome.
  • Wet avalanche activity - Gradual warming has helped minimize the wet activity. Still, temps should be warmer today and it's recommended to avoid the steep sunlit slopes after they've become wet and unsupportable.
weather

High and dry. Temps will rise to near freezing at 10,000', the low 40s at 8000'. Winds will be light from the west northwest. Same plan for tomorrow. Look for even warmer temps and increased southwest winds late Friday into early Saturday ahead of a weak cold front midday Saturday. Another weak storm follows for Monday.

general announcements

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

To get help in an emergency (to request a rescue) in the Wasatch, call 911.  Be prepared to give your GPS coordinates or the run name. Dispatchers have a copy of the Wasatch Backcountry Ski map.

Backcountry Emergencies. It outlines your step-by-step method in the event of a winter backcountry incident.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry, but no one is hurt and you do not need assistance, please notify the nearest ski area dispatch to avoid a needless response by rescue teams. Thanks.

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.

Powderbird Helicopter Skiing - Blog/itinerary for the day  

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

Ski Utah mobile snow updates

To those skinning uphill at resorts:  it is critical to know the resort policy on uphill travel.  You can see the uphill travel policy for each resort here

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.