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
“keeping
you on top”
AVALANCHE ADVISORY
Monday,
January 07, 2008 7:30 am
Good morning, this is
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Current Conditions:
Under
partly cloudy skies, temperatures have plummeted to the single digits at most
mountain locations. Winds are light and
westerly. The
Avalanche Discussion:
The few folks that
checked in with us from yesterday’s backcountry outing stayed in mostly low
angle terrain, and we didn’t hear about any significant avalanches outside of
the rope lines. Inside the boundaries,
however, avalanche control teams both in the
We have a number of
issues in the backcountry. Expect to
find some remnant wind drifts in the higher lee terrain that may still be
sensitive to the weight of a person. These
are more likely to be found on northeast through southeast facing slopes as
well as any steep cross-loaded gullies. Graupel
pooling at the bases of cliffs and along the transition zones from steep to
well, less-steep, may still be sensitive as well. These aren’t necessarily aspect dependent,
though more graupel has been found on the windward side of the range due to
orographic lift. Lastly, it will still
be possible to trigger a slide into old snow, particularly in steep, thin rocky
areas or shallower areas that had previously been eroded or scoured.
Bottom Line for the
There will
be pockets of CONSIDERABLE danger for human triggered avalanches on
slopes steeper than 35 degrees. The complexity
of the snowpack coupled with recent avalanche activity requires caution and humility
while traveling through avalanche terrain.
Safe travel protocol needs to be followed as consequences may be severe.
Mountain Weather:
We’ll see
increasing clouds with a few additional inches possible overnight. Winds will be light and westerly. Temps will be in the low 20’s at 8000’ and
the single digits at 10,000’. Tuesday
starts the cycle of increasing southwest flow ahead of a potent-looking storm. A foot or more is likely by late
Wednesday. Continued unsettled weather
persists through the week, with a ridge building for mid-month.
Announcements
The Wasatch Powderbird Guides did not fly yesterday, but today will be
operating in American Fork canyon. For
more information, call them at 801-742-2800.
Solitude’s beacon park is now up and running, and ready for use. It’s FREE and located just off the northwest
corner of the lower lot.
For an avalanche education class list,
updated 12/22/07, click HERE.
If you want to get this avalanche advisory e-mailed to you daily click HERE.
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.
If you’re getting out and see anything we should know about please let us know. You can 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.