BOTTOM LINE

Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)

Danger Rose Tutorial

While the avalanche danger is generally a Level 1 (Low) danger, remember that Low danger doesn't mean No danger. While manageable in size, even a small sluff will pack a punch. If you're on the receiving end it could easily result in a body bruising, season ending ride through stumps and rocks.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

High pressure is firmly in control, producing valley inversions and a weakening snowpack. While temperatures are a cold and humid 9 degrees in Ephriam this morning, up along the Skyline it’s in the low to mid 20’s. Winds are light and westerly, blowing 5-15 mph along the ridges. Just 3” of new snow accumulated from the mid week storm and total snow depths only average 12”-18” across the range. Needless to say, riding and turning conditions remain quite limited. Rock free road rides and low angle meadows are our only options right now.

RECENT ACTIVITY

A few shallow soft slabs were spotted in steep, wind drifted terrain along the high ridges surrounding the Skyline.

Click here for recent observations.

THREAT #1

WHERE

PROBABILITY

SIZE

TREND

Over the next 24 hours.

Man…. it’s starting to get pretty grim out there. The persistent high pressure ridge continues to shut down any possibility of accumulating snow and that means our snowpack remains shallow and weak. Shallow snowpacks are dangerous snowpacks and when winter returns from its hiatus the Skyline will be a very dangerous place. In the mean time… the weakening snowpack has the strength and consistency of sugar and this week our ace observers Steve Cote and Darce Trotter triggered small suga-lanches that were gouging down to the ground. While manageable and predictable in size, remember that even a small sluff in steep terrain could knock you off your feet and slam you into rocks or stumps, barely hidden under our very thin snowpack. (Click here to view their Friday observation from Electric Lake Bowl).

MOUNTAIN WEATHER

It will be a beautiful day in mountains with sunny skies, light winds, and temperatures warming into the upper 30’s. Overnight lows dip into the mid 20’s. Sunday will be similar, before a weak system slides through the region on Monday giving us a flurry or two and knocking temperatures down by about ten degrees. The ridge rebounds for mid week and then another system tries to break on through around Thursday. The fate of this storm looks like it’ll have a similar destiny as others in the recent past. There are still no big storms in sight.

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The information in this advisory expires 24 hours after the date and time posted, but will be updated by 7:00 AM Saturday, December 24th.

Your observations- snowpack, weather, avalanche, or just plain riding conditions are crucial to the success of this program and will help keep other riders alive! Please tell us what you’re seeing so we can provide the most accurate information. If you see or trigger an avalanche you can reach me craig@utahavalanchecenter.org or call 801-231-2170 or better yet, follow the links here to post your own observations.

Also, now is a great time to schedule one of our free avalanche awareness presentations for your group or club. Email or call me and we’ll get you booked before things get too crazy.

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.

This advisory provided by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with:

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority and the friends of the La Sal Avalanche Center. See our Sponsors Page for a complete list.