In partnership with: Utah Division of State
Parks and Recreation, The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Department
of Emergency Services and Homeland Security and
AVALANCHE ADVISORY
Monday,
March 13, 2006 7:30am
Good morning, this is Drew Hardesty with
the
An initial report from
the Snowbasin backcountry incident can be found here.
Current Conditions:
As of 6am, another 3-6” blankets what 4-6”
we received during the day yesterday.
While the back edge of the current storm looks like it’s directly
overhead, we may still pick up a few more inches into the morning. Winds picked up this morning from the west,
blowing 20-30 across the high peaks.
Mountain temperatures remain cool in the single digits and low teens. With the riding conditions as they are,
you’ll have to postpone doing those taxes for another day. It’s been quite the spring.
Recent Avalanche Activity & Snowpack Discussion:
The 4-6” that fell yesterday seemed like
it fell in the span of about 15 minutes.
During that time, the high snowfall rates produced a widespread shallow
soft slab and loose snow natural cycle that gave the new snow all the bearing
of a rookie clown trying to juggle 10 balls at once. We had two close calls during the cycle. During the peak of the snowfall intensity,
two skiers were about half way up Little Pine chute, one of the steep south
facing 2000’ slide paths that threaten Little Cottonwood Canyon. It must have been something to look up and see
the train coming, then be washed down 1000’ onto the apron above the road. Fortunately, neither was injured and they
retrieved most of their gear. In terrain
like that, there is almost nowhere to hide.
To the south above Aspen Grove, a skier triggered a sizeable sluff,
rag-dolling 75 yards down to where the angle eased. One of our observers triggered the only
remnant wind slab from Saturday morning’s winds….a 1’ by 25’ pocket down low in
the path on the Hidden canyon ridgeline, a southwest facing slope at about
9500’.
The increasing winds will produce some
natural avalanching in the new snow this morning and make avalanches probable
for backcountry travelers on the steeper slopes that have been wind loaded and
that have seen the most snowfall. The
character and densities of the slides will allow then to run fast and far on
continuously steep slopes. The stability
looks a lot like an EKG monitor, spiking with the precipitation, and then
falling back somewhat, then spiking back this morning with the snowfall and
winds. Watch for and avoid steep wind
loaded areas and move out of and through runout zones quickly.
Bottom Line:
This morning the danger is CONSIDERABLE on all mid and upper elevation
steep slopes with fresh wind drifts.
They will be most pronounced on northeast through southeast facing
slopes, but you may find drifting in other cross-loaded and channeled areas at
the upper elevations. Natural and human
triggered avalanches are probable.
Mountain Weather:
Snowfall will continue through the morning then skies will turn mostly
cloudy. The westerly winds will blow
20-25mph along the more exposed ridgelines.
8000’ highs will reach the high teens with 10,000’ temps in the single
digits. Another storm is lined up for
Tuesday night with another for the weekend.
Announcements:
Here is a great link to a web site on avalanche beacon
information, created by a person who did independent research and testing of
avalanche beacons. http://beaconreviews.com/transceivers/index.htm
There are several free automated avalanche beacon practice areas open, including one at Canyons, one on the by-pass road near Snowbird and one in the northwest corner of the lower lot at Solitude. They are really easy to use, and well worth stopping for a quick practice session.
Early birds and snow
geeks can catch our 6AM report at 364-1591.
Click here to check out our new online avalanche
encyclopedia.
Click HERE for a text only version of the avalanche advisory.
To
have this advisory automatically e-mailed to you each day, click HERE.
UDOT also has a highway avalanche control work
hotline for Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, and
The
Wasatch Powderbird Guides didn’t get out yesterday and are unlikely to get out
today. For more info, call 742-2800.
Please
report any backcountry snow and avalanche conditions. Call (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, email [email protected] or fax 801-524-6301. The information in this advisory is from the
U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions
and local variations always occur.
Evelyn Lees will
update this advisory by 7:30 Tuesday morning.
Thanks for calling.