Wasatch Cache National Forest
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 Salt Lake County.

“keeping you on top”

AVALANCHE ADVISORY

Wednesday, November 21, 2007  2:00 pm
Good afternoon, this is Evelyn Lees with the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center with your backcountry avalanche and mountain weather information.  Today is Wednesday, November 21, 2007 and it’s about 5:30 pm.

 

Current Conditions:

Turning and riding conditions are grim, at best.  Most mountain terrain has bare ground, with the shady, upper elevation slopes holding a trace to as much as 2 feet of snow from the early season storms.  This snow pack is a mix of supportable and breakable crusts, with rocks, brush and logs just below the surface.  The best coverage is on the runs at the still closed resorts where they’ve been making snow.  However, please do observe all closures as the resorts prepare to open.

 

Avalanche Discussion:

Like you, we’re ready and waiting for a good storm or two.  In the meantime, we keep snooping around, checking out the shallow snowpack on the upper elevation shady slopes.  The usual early season variability exists.  Any slope that catches sun is a layer cake of crusts and weak faceted snow.  The steep, shady, most northerly facing slopes have the weakest snow.  Here, the facets are larger, weaker and looser.  Currently, the avalanche danger is Low.

 

Mountain Weather: 

A cold and stable air mass will remain over northern Utah for most of the weekend.  Temperatures tonight will be near ten, with 8,000’ highs on Thanksgiving near 30.  There will be a slow warming trend through the weekend, with highs in the lower 40’s by Sunday.  The first chance for snow is around Tuesday.

 

We’ll update this advisory early next week, hopefully with snow in the forecast.

Announcements:
For an avalanche education class listing, click HERE.  

 

If you want to get this avalanche advisory e-mailed to you daily click HERE.

 

The UAC has job openings.  Click HERE for info.

 

We are now issuing avalanche statements as weather and snow conditions dictate for the beginning of the 2007-2008 winter season.  We are in the office most days.  You can reach us by calling 524 5304 or e-mail us at [email protected].  Keep in mind it may take a few days if you are looking for a return message.

 

UDOT highway avalanche control work info can be found HERE or by calling (801) 975-4838.

Our statewide tollfree line is 1-888-999-4019 (early morning, option 8).

For our classic text advisory click HERE.

We appreciate any snowpack and avalanche observations we’ve been getting, so if your getting out there give us a call and leave a message at (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, or email us at [email protected]. (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.