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 Sunday, January 14th, 2007 at 8:00 a.m.    

             

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

 

WE ARE TEACHING A FREE A.I.A.R.E. (AMEREICAN INSTITUTE FOR AVALANCHE, REASEARCH AND EDUCATION) CLASS UP ON THE SKYLINE!

THE CLASS IS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 26TH-28TH.  CALL 435-636-3363 TO SIGN UP.  

 

  

General Conditions:

                The large precipitation producer that was supposed to impact the Manti-Skyline missed to the south.  The only impact the region felt was the very cold temperatures that were left in its wake.  Mammoth/Cottonwood and Seeley Creek SNOTEL sites both register temperature below 0 this morning at 6:00 am.  It is  –15 degrees at Mammoth/Cottonwood this morning.  Your best bet for recreation today will be on trails and in lower meadows…bring plenty of warm colds and look for signs of frostbite on your friends faces.   

 

Mountain Weather:

Today: Partly cloudy. West wind 7 mph. High 3.
Tonight: Mostly clear. West wind 6 mph. Low -3.
Monday: Mostly sunny. Northwest wind 8 mph. High 16.
Monday Night: Mostly clear. Northwest wind 3 mph. Low 9

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Weather Station/ Location

Snow Depth (HS):  in./cm

New Snow (HN) in./cm

7:00 a.m. Temp (F)

Current Observations:  Wind, 48 hour snow

Mammoth/Cottonwood SNOTEL (8,800’):

24.7”

0”

-14.7

COLD!!!!

Seeley Creek SNOTEL (10,000’):

19.9”

0”

-8.0

Winds out of the NW at 12 gust to 18

Skyline Wind Site (SH 31):

Wx down

Wx down

Wx down

Wx down

Miller Flat Trailhead: 

23”

~

~

COLD!!!!

 

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

            Thursday’s field day gave us some clues on how unstable the snow is on the ground before this storm.  We triggered a HS-AS-R5-D2-O/G (Hard slab, skier triggered, 100% of avalanche path, enough to injure or kill you) avalanche on an East facing slope at 10,000’.  It was 300’ wide, broke way back on the ridge (started at 22 degrees) and the fracture line was 1’-2.5’ deep.  It ran farther than expected and wider than expected.  An interesting fact:  we triggered it at the shallowest location, not the deepest.  We also observed 3 other natural avalanches on the same aspects, East & Southeast.   For those of you going into alpine bowls this weekend, READ:  These hard slabs are out there. 

            The snow pack on North aspects is weak, uncohesive, sugar snow that will be reactive if we get significant snow fall, when that will be is a good question.  South aspects have breakable sun-crusts in sheltered areas while your west aspects have been stripped by recent winds. 

            The BOTTOM LINE for today will be an AVALANCHE DANGER of MODERATE on North-Southeast aspects where recent wind slabs have been deposited.  Be especially careful on steep wind-loaded slopes above tree-line on East-Southeast aspects.  As more snow falls and wind blows, expect the Avalanche Danger to increase.