Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Salt Lake Area Mountains Issued by Brett Kobernik for Thursday - December 12, 2013 - 6:40am
bottom line

The overall avalanche danger is MODERATE however there is still a CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger on slopes steeper than 35 degrees that face west through north through east. Human triggered avalanches are still likely in these areas.
special announcement

Brett Kobernik will be hosting a Fireside Avalanche Chat at Black Diamond this Thursday, 7:30pm. He will discuss the formation of our early season weak layers, speculate on future persistent weak layer trends and talk about how to manage the situation in the backcountry.
current conditions

Overnight mountain temperatures were in the mid 20s with light southwest winds and clear skies and fairly low relative humidity. Good conditions for near surface faceting.

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

While looking at recent avalanches on Monday, I inadvertently kicked off a ski into an adjacent starting zone of a north facing avalanche path that hasn't avalanched. The ski is still there. My plan is to let the snowpack settle for a number of days before attempting to retrieve it. Even then, I will most likely use a rope.

The point here is that even though I desperately want the ski back, there's no way to justify trying to get it just yet. With what looks like about a week of no snow, the newest slab will settle and become less sensitive. The underlying faceted snow will adjust to the weight of the recent snow. The newest slab itself will probably loose some cohesion due to the slow near surface faceting process. If this process is pronounced enough, the newest slab (our current snow surface) will become part of the series of weak layers that we've been accumulating so far this season.

I'll probably go try to retrieve my ski early next week some time.
weather

We have a nice day in store with sunny skies, light southwest winds and temperatures in the mid 20s to low 30s. A storm will move through on Friday but probably won't do much more than cool temperatures and produce a snow flurry or two.

As it looks now, we will go into a dry northwest flow following Friday's disturbance. This dry pattern will last through most of next week. This is faceting weather. This is a blow that our already weak snowpack doesn't need.

There is trough (storm system) that is shaping up for around the 19th. However, the GFS weather model (image below) now suggests this system may split. The good news is that the European model has it more intact still, albeit not all that moist.
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)

Snowbasin Resort Dispatch (801-620-1017), Powder Mountain Dispatch (801-745-3772 x 123).

Sundance Dispatch (801-231-4150)

Twitter Updates for your mobile phone - DETAILS

UDOT canyon closures:  LINK TO UDOT

Utah Avalanche Center mobile app - Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools.

We'll soon be lining up a new automated emailed advisory delivery system - stay tuned.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides Blog/Itinerary for the Day.  They'll be up and running later this winter -

Discount lift tickets are now available at Backcountry.com - Thanks to Ski Utah and the Utah Resorts.  All proceeds go towards paying for Utah Avalanche Center avalanche and mountain weather advisories.

To those skinning uphill at resorts:  it is your responsibility to know the resort policy on uphill travel.  Some allow uphill travel and have guidelines, some don't. Contact the Ski Patrol at each resort for details. IMPORTANT: Before skinning at a resort under new snow conditions, check in with Ski Patrol.  Resorts can restrict or cut off access if incompatible with control and grooming operations.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you shop from Backcountry.com or REI:  Click this link for Backcountry.com or this link to REI, shop, and they will donate a percent of your purchase price to the UAC.  Both offer free shipping (with some conditions) so this costs you nothing!

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on ebay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your ebay account here and click on ebay gives when you buy or sell.  You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny.

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.