US Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest

Good morning, this 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 Saturday, December 23rd, 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:

         Santa is doing his final pre-flight checks on his sleigh today before he delivers gifts to all those good girls and boys.  I’m asking for some snow, hopefully he can muster a deal with Mother Nature because the Skyline could use a good storm.  Winter enthusiasts can go up and enjoy the snow this weekend, although due to the shallow and variable snow pack, play places will be limited.  Lets look at the good news.  There is plenty of snow to go for a long snowmobile ride on designated trail systems.  There is also enough snow to play in meadows.  As you move up towards the high alpine bowls, the conditions become more variable and more ground hazards are out.  There is definitely some areas to practice high marking, although there are only a few areas that are filled in (without ground hazards) to the top of ridges.  Lets hope for a white, cold and fluffy Christmas gift!  

                 

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

Mammoth/Cottonwood SNOTEL (8,800’):  21.7” of snow on the ground, 5 degrees out at 6:00 a.m. 

Seeley Creek SNOTEL (10,000’):   19.7” of snow on the ground, 10 degrees out at 6:00 a.m., winds out of the NNE at 4 gusting to 7

Skyline Wind Site:  16.2 degrees out, winds are 5 mph out of the East  

Miller Flat Trailhead:  23” of snow on the ground.  

 

Mountain Weather:

Today: Mostly sunny. West wind 9 mph. High 33.
Tonight: Snow. Snow accumulation 1 inch. Probability of measurable precipitation 60 percent. West wind 9 mph. Low 19.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Chance of snow in the morning. Snow accumulation 1 inch. Probability of measurable precipitation 30 percent. West wind 16 mph. High 27.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy. Southwest wind 6 mph. Low 22.

 

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

            The bottom line for today is going to be an Avalanche Danger of LOW on the Manti-Skyline.  The lack of energy in the snow, variability and past winds have made for some benign conditions.  There are some small cornices on some ridge lines and the hard wind slabs will make a good bed surface for future storms.  There are plenty of weak faceted snow crystals out there but there isn’t a load on top of them currently. 

  

            Don’t forget to sign up for our Level 1 AIARE course on January 26th-28th on the Skyline (Its FREE!).  Call 435-636-3363 for more info and to sign up. 

 

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