US Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest

Introduction:

Good morning, this is Max Forgensi with the USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather advisory for the Wasatch Plateau/Manti Skyline Region, including, but not limited to Ephraim, Huntington and Fairview Canyons. This advisory is brought to you through a partnership of Utah State Parks and the USFS. Today is Sunday, December 3rd, 2006, at 7:30 am.

If you have been out in the backcountry, please post your OBSERVATIONS with us!

To check out past advisories, go to ARCHIVE.

To check out the current weather, go to our WEATHER page.

For more information on snowmobiling on the Skyline, click this LINK

Current Conditions:

A couple more inches yesterday are adding to the snowstorm that left 16” of new snow in its wake has been replaced by a very cold artic air mass. This high-pressure system will be in place most of the workweek. Valley inversions are possible this week, while the Skyline will be warming with each day.

As for snow conditions, there isn’t much out there. Kiteboarders will have enough snow up at the pass to recreate. Snowmobilers looking for some powder should stay on trails and open meadows. The upper bowls still have rock bands and bushes poking through. Backcountry skiers should travel in areas with smooth ground cover.

The shallow snow cover and cold temperatures will also be affecting the avalanche danger. Please read on for more information on that subject.

Click the links below to find out up to date information at these weather stations on the Skyline.

Mammoth/Cottonwood SNOTEL (8,800’): 2” new, 17.” on the ground, 1 degrees out @ 7:00 a.m.

Seeley Creek SNOTEL (10,000’): 2” new, 13” on the ground (suspect measurement), winds are light WNW, 14 degrees @ 7:00 a.m.

Miller Flat Trailhead: 18” of snow on the ground

Mountain Weather:

Today: Mostly sunny. Highs at 8000 feet around 30.
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows at 8000 feet near 10.
Monday: Partly cloudy. Highs at 8000 feet around 40.
Monday night: Partly cloudy. Lows at 8000 feet 15 to 20.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Highs at 8000 feet in the upper 30s.

Avalanche Conditions: (Click here for the International Avalanche Danger Scale)

There were no observed avalanches on the Skyline yesterday. Cornice falls observed failed to release slabs on the slopes below. A snowpit dug on a Northeast aspect at 9,400’ yielded some clues into why. Snowpit observations showed a very weak snow pack with the lower half nothing but weak, faceted crystals. Sitting on top of these persistent grains was the new snow. Stability tests resulted in very easy shears and enough energy to propagate into avalanches. What is missing in this equation is not enough of a stress (read: new snow load) to get avalanches to fracture. THE POINT TO TAKE HOME IS: The Manti-Skyline has a very weak snow pack that is just waiting for another storm to tip the scales into a widespread avalanche cycle. For today, the Avalanche Danger for the Manti-Skyline will be MODERATE on steep N-E aspects. The rest of the areas will be LOW

The advisory is also available via recorded message at (888) 999-4019 option 6 or at (800) 648-7433 (OHV-RIDE)