Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Provo Area Mountains Issued by Trent Meisenheimer for Sunday - March 5, 2017 - 6:48am
bottom line

The avalanche danger is MODERATE today for increasingly widespread hard wind drifts that can be triggered by a person. The wind slabs will be most widespread on mid and upper elevation slopes, especially those facing northwest through easterly. LOWER danger terrain would be wind sheltered, shady slopes at the mid and upper elevations, with no steep wind drifted slopes above you.

  • As the cold front arrives around the dinner hour we will have an increasing avalanche danger and by late this evening we will likely be at CONSIDERABLE or even HIGH danger as expected snowfall rates could reach 2-3" per hour overnight.



current conditions

Today's winds are tomorrow's powder day. Another Utah classic cold front is on our doorstep. Like the great Bob Dylan said " You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows." Just step outside and take a look. Upper elevation 11,000' foot winds are averaging 30 mph gusting into the 60's and 70's. Even the more sheltered wind stations are picking up speeds of 20-30 mph with gusts into the 50's. Temperatures will remain warm today ahead of the cold front - current 10,000' foot temps are in the upper 20's and mid to lower canyon temperatures are above freezing.

The snow surface is a myriad of different textures - sun and wind crusts galore, even the mid elevation north facing slopes up to 8800' got damp with yesterday's strong solar rays and warm temperatures. If you're looking for powder it's probably best to work on taxes today and cash in on the goods tomorrow.

For a great recap of this week’s weather and avalanche activity, check out Greg Gagne’s weekly summary HERE.
recent activity

Yesterday backcountry enthusiasts reported wind slab development on all aspects and elevations above 8000'. A party in Hogum fork was climbing a steep east facing line when one person triggered a small wind slab and was caught and carried 300' feet downhill in the avalanche. He was not injured. No other avalanche activity was reported yesterday.

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

Southerly winds will continue wreaking havoc to the snow surface today. You can expect widespread new and old wind slabs, both along mid and upper elevation ridge lines. The swirly winds will also push down into open bowls and the rolling terrain in the mountain drainages. I would expect these slabs to be stiff and stubborn today. Although, you wouldn't find me messing with upper elevation wind loaded terrain. Look for and avoid these hard smooth slabs on any steep slope.

Video of winds: by Greg Gagne - yesterday in Maybird Gulch in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

According to the Chinese zodiac - 2017 is the year of the rooster. However, I would argue that it's the year of the cornice. These things are MASSIVE... and it's terrifying walking on ridge lines where you can't see over the edge. At times you wonder if you're walking on the ground or hanging off the edge of the world. Give these yawning giants a wide berth and never approach an edge without knowing for sure, that it's not overhanging.

Photo of: Drew Hardesty giving respect to a massive cornice in Alexander Basin in Millcreek Canyon yesterday.

weather

Windy and warm today as a powerful cold front approaches us from the north. Places favored by the southwest winds could see gusts to 110 mph later this afternoon with a chance of thunder. Sometime around the dinner hour the cold air will arrive and the winds of tide will diminish, shift to the north and it will begin to snow. This powerful system will bring heavy snow to the mountains of northern Utah. Snowfall rates of 2-3" per hour are expected and will be the strongest from 7:00-11:00 pm tonight. Total forecasted snow: 6-12'' (0.50-1.00" h20).

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.

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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.

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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.