Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Salt Lake Area Mountains Issued by Evelyn Lees for Saturday - December 7, 2013 - 6:51am
bottom line

The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on all wind drifted slopes, with deeper, more dangerous slides possible on northwest, north and northeasterly facing slopes at the mid and upper elevations. Slides can be triggered from below and from a distance. CONSIDERABLE means:

  • Dangerous avalanche conditions exist
  • Natural avalanches are possible
  • Human triggered avalanches are likely
  • Cautious route finding and conservative decision-making is essential.

Head to wind sheltered and lower angle slopes today, and consider options on the southerly ½ of the compass.
special announcement

It is dangerously cold again today, with the wind chill -10 to -20 along the ridgelines. This will make it difficult to deal with even the smallest mishap – broken gear or a lost glove – much less getting caught in in avalanche, and good decision making is difficult if you get cold.
current conditions

Temperatures have clawed their way out of the icebox into positive territory, and are in the single digits this morning. This has been aided by the southerly winds, averaging 15 to 20 mph, with gusts in the 30s. Wind speeds across the high ridges are unfortunately closer to 35 mph, with occasional gusts in the 40s and 50s. (Ogden area mountains gusting to 60 mph). The snowpack remains very shallow, but travel choices are expanding – smooth slopes, trails and roads at the mid elevations and on some southerly facing slopes now have just enough snow for travel.
recent activity

Two slides were reported yesterday – a snowboarder triggered slide off NE facing Rocky Point, about 8-18" deep by 25' wide, a repeater failing on faceted snow near the ground, and a new snow soft slab on a NW facing slope off Pioneer Ridge, that propagated to 150' wide below chute. The newly forming wind drifts were cracking by midafternoon.

Todd Glew witnessed the Rocky Point slide. Full observation here.
Avalanche Problem 1
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

There are acre feet of snow available for transport, and the steady winds are the perfect speed to drift the snow. The drifts will be sensitive on any steep slope, failing on the cold snow weak snow beneath. While widespread along the high ridges, drifts will also be found at the mid elevations and cross loaded on to a variety of aspects. Wind drifts will be cracky, can be triggered from a distance, and a small wind slab avalanche can trigger a larger, deeper slide as it moves down slope.
Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

The southerly wind direction is drifting snow onto the fragile, faceted snowpack on northwest, north and northeasterly facing slopes. The winds are creating the denser, heavier slab that should finally overload the weak facets, for a more widespread avalanche cycle. I expect some natural avalanche activity today, with smaller slides having the potential to step down, triggering a deeper, wider slide. Slides can also be triggered remotely, from below, the side or above.

The avalanche danger will be increasing later today through tonight if we get the snow in the forecast.

weather

It’s a tardy storm, but still on track, and light snow should start to fall by late morning. Snow intensities will pick up this afternoon, with 3 to 7 inches expected today, and another 6 to 10 inches tonight. Areas favored by southwest flow will get the higher snow numbers today. Snow will continue into Sunday, with 10 to 20” storm totals. Winds today will be moderate to strong from the southwest ahead of the frontal passage, with 20 to 30 mph averages along the high ridges, and gusts into 40s and 50s. The cold front will arrive late this afternoon, and winds will shift to the northwest and decrease. 10,000’ temperatures will warm to near 10 today, dropping back to zero tonight.

general announcements

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.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry - especially if you are adjacent to a ski area – please call the following teams 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.

Salt Lake and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033), Canyons Resort Dispatch (435-615-3322)

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Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.