Salt Lake Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Evelyn Lees

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

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We still have a few remaining lift tickets for sale. We can't say enough about our great partnership with Ski Utah, our own world-class ski resorts, and Backcountry.com. All proceeds benefit our non-profit Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, which in turn, help to drive our operation. We couldn't do it without them, or you. So check it out and hit a ski resort you've never been to before. Thanks.

Tonight, March 24th, Envision Utah will host the final round of public meetings for the Wasatch Canyons Tomorrow process, the first step in updating Salt Lake County’s master plan for the Wasatch Canyons. The open houses are from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 pm at either:

Skyline High School - 3251 E 3760 S, Salt Lake City Sandy City Hall - 10000 Centennial Parkway, Sandy

For more info - http://www.wasatchcanyons.slco.org/index.html


BOTTOM LINE

Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)


Danger Rose Tutorial

The avalanche danger is generally Low this morning, but will increase to Moderate with daytime heating. Both natural and human triggered avalanches will become easy to initiate on steep, sunny slopes. In thin, steep, snowpack areas and at lower elevations, there may be just enough soggy snow for some of the sluffs to gouge down more deeply. There also continue to be very isolated places on northerly facing slopes where a person could trigger a deeper slide.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Under clear skies, temperatures are in the teens to low 20s this morning, and the northerly winds are very light, averaging less than 10 mph. Yesterday’s continuing flurries eventually coaxed 2 to 5” of snow out of the clouds. Conditions are basically dust on crust – not exactly my favorite, especially where the crusts are breakable on the off aspects and some lower angle slopes. There is a sliver of soft snow to be found though, on steep, upper elevation, shady northerly facing slopes.


RECENT ACTIVITY

A few dry and wet new snow sluffs were reported, and small cornices and wind slabs were fairly easy to dislodge with kicks.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 12 hours.

Full sun and spring heat are sure to trigger a round of wet, loose avalanches today. Even with only 2 to 5” of new snow to work with, on continuous steep slopes these slides will be able to run far, entraining a lot of snow. So expect slides running full track and surprisingly large, deep debris piles. However, these wet loose sluffs are about as predictable as it gets – and thus avoidable. As the surface snow heats, first on east, then south, then west, and then northerly, get off of and out from under steep slopes. The steeper slopes will heat first, especially around rock bands and shallow snow pack areas. Watch out for people above and below you, as a triggered slide may run further than expected.

Other heat related issuers today include the erratic release of a glide avalanche, cornices drooping and dropping, and being able to push or gouge out the soggy snow on northerly and easterly facing lower elevation slopes.


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

This is the winter where you can never let your guard down. In isolated areas and extreme terrain, on mid and upper elevation northerly facing slopes, avalanches can still be triggered, failing on mid pack faceted weak layers. So travel defensively. It will also be possible to trigger a few dry sluffs and small wind drifts, especially along the high ridgelines.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

After this morning’s cool start, temperatures will soar into the low 40s at 8,000’ and upper 20s at 10,000’. The northeasterly winds will increase into the 5 to 15 mph range, with gusts across the highest peaks occasionally reaching to 30 mph. Another one of this winter’s characteristic storm “systems” will cross the area in pieces, with the first front reaching northern Utah tomorrow afternoon. Snow totals may reach 6 to 12” by Friday night, though the way this winter’s going, you can’t go too low on your snow total forecasts.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The ability to deal with medical emergencies is a vital backcountry travel skill. On April 2-4, Utah Wilderness Safety will be conducting a Wilderness & Remote First Aid course in SLC. As an added bonus, WMS has agreed to donate a percent of the class proceeds to the FUAC. For more details, go to our events calendar or www.utahwildernesssafety.com/FIRST-AID.html.

SLC: Please contact Alta Central (801-742-2033) if you trigger a large avalanche in the backcountry, especially if you are adjacent to a ski area, to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

Ogden: Please contact Snowbasin ski patrol (801620-1000/1017) if you trigger a large avalanche in the backcountry, especially if you are adjacent to a ski area, to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

Provo: Please contact Sundance ski patrol (801 -223-4150) if you trigger a large avalanche in the backcountry, especially if you are adjacent to a ski area, to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

Discount Lift tickets: Ski Utah, Backcountry.com and the local resorts donated lift tickets, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Utah Avalanche Center. To get the last few tickets left for Park City, Beaver Mountain, and Sundance – click here at discounted prices.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides flight plan.

Dawn Patrol Forecast Hotline, updated by 05:30:888-999-4019 option 8.

Daily observations are frequently posted by 10 pm each evening.

Free UAC iPhone app from Canyon Sports.

Subscribe to the daily avalanche advisory e-mail click HERE.

UDOT canyon closures UDOT at (801) 975-4838

We appreciate all your avalanche and snow observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, or fill out the observation form on our home page.

Donate to your favorite non-profit – The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center. The UAC depends on contributions from users like you to support our work.

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.

Brett will update this forecast tomorrow morning. Thanks for calling.


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.


This advisory provided by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with:

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority and the friends of the La Sal Avalanche Center. See our Sponsors Page for a complete list.