Avalanche Advisory
| Advisory: Salt Lake Area Mountains | Issued by Evelyn Lees for December 29, 2012 - 6:59am |
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Above 9,500 ft.
8,000-9,500 ft.
Below 8,000 ft.
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bottom line Just because it’s a beautiful powder day and you’re having a great time with your friends, it doesn’t mean you can’t get caught in an avalanche. Park City, Mill Creek and shallow snowpack drainages: Steep slopes facing northwest through east have Pockets of CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger on mid and upper elevation slopes, for triggering a deep slide. Big and Little Cottonwood: have a generally MODERATE avalanche. Avoid shallow snowpack drainages and rocky terrain, including slopes that slid earlier this year. In all areas, watch for and avoid fresh drifts of wind-blown snow as the winds pick up along the higher ridgelines later this afternoon. Remember, time is on your side – there are days of opportunity to get onto the steep slopes - start out with the acres of untracked low and moderate angle slopes, and give the snow more time to settle and strengthen.
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special announcement Thanks so much to all those who have donate to the UAC this year! Most of our funding comes from donations and events and your support keeps the forecasts and education going. If you have not yet made a 2012 contribution, you have a few more days... There is still space available for the Snowbird Freeride Avalanche Summit, an avalanche skills class aimed at Big Mtn Freeriders, aimed at addressing safety issues related to steep lines, remote locations, and filming. Jan 6-8 2012. Details at http://utahavalanchecenter. |
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current conditions 5 days of storms have left 2 to 3 feet of top quality powder in the northern Utah mountains - evenly draped on all aspects over a supportable base, with just enough settlement that low to moderate angle slopes ride well. With skies finally clearing, it’s intensely beautiful, and riding, snowshoeing and snowmobiling conditions are about as good as it gets. Temperatures are in the single digits to mid-teens, and the southerly winds are very light, with only a few of the highest peaks averaging even 15 mph. |
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recent activity There were 5 human triggered avalanches reported yesterday.
Gobblers:
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Avalanche Problem 1over the next 24 hours
| type | aspect/elevation | characteristics |
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Above 9,500 ft.
8,000-9,500 ft.
Below 8,000 ft.
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description
There are still a few monsters in the basement – the most dangerous slide a person could trigger today would be on a mid-pack weakness (crusts and facets) or the ground. These are the slides you can trigger from a distance, that may break out above you and where tracks on a slope are not a definitive sign of stability. Shallow Snowpack Areas are where these weak layers are most pronounced, and where the weight of a person or machine can be felt through the snow by the weak layer. Collapsing or being able to push your ski pole in right to the ground are not good signs. |
Avalanche Problem 2over the next 24 hours
| type | aspect/elevation | characteristics |
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Above 9,500 ft.
8,000-9,500 ft.
Below 8,000 ft.
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description
On most slopes, the new snow will be fairly well behaved this morning, with predictable human triggered sluffs and perhaps a new snow soft slab on steep slopes. But even a soft snow avalanche can travel fast, and be dangerous if you are caught and carried into trees. However, all this low density snow is just waiting for a breeze to blow it around. The southerly winds will gradually increase along the ridge lines as the day goes on, and the drifts will be most wide spread on the northerly facing slopes. Avoid these fresh, soft drifts on steep slopes. |
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weather A gorgeous day – clear to partly cloudy skies, with temperatures warming into the mid-20s at 8,000’, and the mid-teens at 10,000’. The southerly winds will gradually increase along the highest ridgelines, into with averages in the 15 to 20 mph range and gusts to 30 this afternoon. A few flurries with a trace of snow possible tonight, followed by several day sf cool temperatures and light winds. |