Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Salt Lake Area Mountains Issued by Drew Hardesty for Sunday - December 27, 2015 - 6:56am
bottom line

Areas of Considerable remain in the backcountry and are most pronounced in upper elevation northerly to easterly aspects. Natural avalanches are unlikely, and human triggered avalanches remain possible with crowns 3-5' deep, running to the ground and rocks. If you do trigger a slide, consequences are catastrophic. Some wet sluffing may be expected on the steepest, sunny slopes with daytime heating.

Remember - if you step outside the exit gates from a mountain resort, your are stepping into CONSIDERABLE danger. Terrain management and safe protocol is key today. Safe and stellar 5-star powder can be found on slopes less steep than 30 degrees with nothing steeper above.
special avalanche bulletin

THIS SPECIAL AVALANCHE ADVISORY IS FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL UTAH, TO INCLUDE SOUTHEAST IDAHO, THE BEAR RIVER RANGE, THE WASATCH RANGE, THE WESTERN UINTAS, AND THE MANTI- SKYLINE PLATEAU.

HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS OVER THE LAST WEEK HAVE LED TO DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS. HUMAN TRIGGERED AVALANCHES UP TO FIVE FEET DEEP ARE POSSIBLE IN MANY LOCATIONS. THESE AVALANCHES ARE MORE PRONOUNCED ON MID AND UPPER ELEVATION NORTHWEST THROUGH NORTH THROUGH SOUTHEAST FACING SLOPES. AVOID BEING ON OR BENEATH STEEP TERRAIN AS THESE AVALANCHES MAY BE TRIGGERED FROM BELOW.
special announcement

If you're heading to the resorts, support the UAC and get your lift tickets here - Details here
current conditions

Today's advisory written by Greg Gagne and approved by Drew Hardesty.

Yesterday's northeast winds created some wind-loading along upper elevations ridges, producing some pockets of soft wind drifts on south and west aspects. Winds have diminished overnight, and are still blowing out of the northeast, but gusting to only 10 mph. Overnight was cold and clear with temperatures in the single digits, and in some valley bottoms in the single negative digits. Many southerly aspects became damp with direct sun yesterday and will be crusted this morning until they soften with daytime heating.
recent activity

One significant slide was reported from the Alta backcountry yesterday at Rocky Point (Praetorious video below). This was on a steep East-facing aspect at 10,400'. It was triggered remotely from 300' away and the crown was 4'-5' in places, failing on faceted snow at the ground. Read the full details from this excellent writeup of the slide. Explosive control work from Cottonwood resorts also produced slides running to the ground, with one attention-getting full depth slide running on a steep, upper elevation south aspect. Observers also noted small pockets of fresh wind drifts along upper elevations from the northeast winds. Finally, although reports of collapsing and cracking are become less common, there was one report of a loud collapse in a thinner snowpack area on a northerly aspect.
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

Reports from yesterday indicate a strengthening snowpack as the monster storm from this past week strengthens and bridges the weak faceted layer down near the ground. On many slopes this faceted layer is now buried under three to four feet of snow, making triggering avalanches less likely. However, the slide in Rocky Point is a good example of the challenges of travel in avalanche terrain right now: although it is becoming more difficult to trigger a slide on most slopes in the backcountry, the consequences are significant if you do trigger and get caught in a slide.

This hazard is most pronounced on upper elevation northwest through east aspects above 9500', although the slide reported from control work is a good reminder that upper elevation south aspects are also suspect.

Of all the avalanche problems, deep slab problems are the trickiest. Ski cuts and cornice drops are not that effective, and ski tracks on a slope only provide a false sense of slope stability. Many avalanche accidents involving deep slabs occur when the 3rd, 5th, or even 10th person gets on the slope.

For those choosing to travel in avalanche terrain, it is crucial to follow protocol of only exposing one member of the party at a time on avalanche slopes, and getting out of the way at the bottom.

Mark White provides an excellent description of his decision-making process when he skied a steep slope that had already avalanched. If you feel you do not possess the skills to sufficiently assess slope stability, low angled slopes are providing 5-star conditions right now.
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

A couple of key points here. Not sure if you've been paying attention, but our pro observers Greg Gagne, Mark White, and Dave Kikkert have been essentially putting on a Level 3 avalanche class with their reports - you can find them on our observations page here -

Trent has put out a great primer for Matching terrain to the snowpack with a video below -

weather

Clear skies, light winds, and warming temps in store for today. 10k temps will rise to the low to mid 20s; 8000' temps to the upper 20s. A weak disorganized system arrives late Monday through Thurs that may bring a few inches of snow. The weather models are still jostling for a good solution for next weekend and beyond.

general announcements

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, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

To get help in an emergency (to launch a rescue) in the Wasatch, call 911.  Be prepared to give your GPS coordinates or the run name. Dispatchers have a copy of the Wasatch Backcountry Ski map.

Backcountry Emergencies. It outlines your step-by-step method in the event of a winter backcountry incident.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry, but no one is hurt and you do not need assistance, please notify the nearest ski area dispatch to avoid a needless response by rescue teams. Thanks.

Salt Lake and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033), Canyons Resort/PCMR Dispatch (435)615-1911

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

Sundance Dispatch (801-223-4150)

EMAIL ADVISORY  If you would like to get the daily advisory by email you will need to subscribe here.​ 

DAWN PATROL Hotline updated daily by 5-530am - 888-999-4019 option 8.

Twitter Updates for your mobile phone - DETAILS

UDOT canyon closures:  LINK TO UDOT, or on Twitter, follow @UDOTavy, @CanyonAlerts or @AltaCentral

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

Powderbird Helicopter Skiing - Blog/itinerary for the day

Lost or Found something in the backcountry? - http://nolofo.com/

Ski Utah mobile snow updates

To those skinning uphill at resorts:  it is your responsibility to know the resort policy on uphill travel.  You can see the uphill travel policy for each resort here. IMPORTANT: Before skinning or hiking 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.

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 exist.