Wasatch Cache and Uinta National Forests
In partnership with: Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center, The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center and Utah State Parks.
Avalanche advisory
Sunday, April 6, 2003
Good Morning. This is Craig
Gordon with the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center with your avalanche and
mountain weather advisory for the western Uinta Mountains including but not
limited to the terrain surrounding Chalk Creek, Smith-Moorehouse, the Mirror
Lake Highway, and Woodland. Recent fieldwork conducted on the Evanston side of
the range and near Daniels, indicates similar snowpack conditions.
This
advisory is made possible through a generous grant provided by Utah State Parks
and will be available for the rest of the winter on weekends and holidays.
Today
is Sunday, April 6, 2003, and it’s 7:30 in the morning.
Tom
Kimbrough is retiring after almost 40 years as an avalanche professional and is
issuing his last official forecast today. He has been a friend, colleague, and
a tremendous inspiration to everyone in the avalanche business and will be
greatly missed. A synopsis of his amazing career can be found on our advisory
page on the internet.
Current Conditions:
6” of light density snow has
fallen in the past 24 hours, increasing our new snow totals this week to nearly
2’ up in the high country. Temperatures are in the single digits along the
ridges and the winds are out of the west and northwest at speeds of 15-25 mph
with higher gusts at the more exposed locations. The riding and turning
conditions are about the best they have been all year, though there is some
wind damage above timberline. On sheltered north facing slopes, especially at
mid elevations the snow is deep and even low angle slopes are fast and fun.
Avalanche Conditions:
The winds increased along the
upper elevation ridges yesterday afternoon and have continued through the early
morning hours. While wind speeds haven’t really been in the “howling” category
as of yet, it doesn’t take hurricane force winds to move the new snow around
and form sensitive wind drifts. Yesterday these drifts were pockety and only
about a foot in depth, making them fairly manageable. Today however, I’d expect
these drifts will be more widespread and much more sensitive to the weight of a
backcountry traveler. I’d be especially cautious while traveling above
timberline today. Be on the lookout for slabs that would have formed on the
leeward side of ridges and terrain features such as chutes, gullies and sub-ridges.
There are plenty of slick, hard bed surfaces for today’s avalanches to run on
and they might travel a little farther than you’d expect.
At mid elevations the winds
haven’t been quite as strong and the slabs will be a bit shallower. While these
drifts will be about a foot in depth and isolated near the ridgelines, I think
they could pack enough punch to knock you off your machine or skis and take you
for a rapid ride downslope.
In addition, on steep wind
protected slopes, where the new snow is loose and cohensionless, it is sluffing
quite easily. These are usually benign events unless one of these sluffs gains
enough force behind it to carry you over a cliff or into a terrain trap such as
a gully.
Finally, if the sun pokes out
for any length of time today be aware that the danger of wet slide activity
will increase.
.
Bottom Line:
Above timberline the
avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE today on any steep slope with recent deposits of
wind drifted snow.
At mid elevations the
avalanche danger is MODERATE on slopes approaching 40 degrees in steepness.
Mountain Weather:
A broad, cold trough of low
pressure will remain over the western states through Monday. This will produce
cloudy skies, cold temperatures, and the continued chance of snow today and
tonight. High temperatures today at 10,000’ will be in the low 20’s and at
8,000’ close to 30 degrees. Overnight lows will be near 20 degrees. Winds will
be out of the west and northwest at speeds of 15-25 mph. Today we should see
light snow showers throughout the day with a more organized system arriving
tonight. This looks to be the last gasp of snow out of this active weather
pattern and we should receive another 3”-6” of snow by morning. Mostly cloudy
skies and cool temperatures are on tap for Monday. By late Monday a ridge of
high pressure will begin to build and we can expect clear skies with a strong
warming trend for the upcoming week.
General Information:
If you’re getting out and
about please let us know what you’re seeing, especially if you see or trigger
an avalanche. Call 1-800-662-4140, or 801-231-2170, or email to [email protected] or fax to 801-524-6301.
Your observations could help to save someone’s life. I’ve received some great
observations this past week and thanks to those of you who called in with
timely snowpack and avalanche information. Please keep them coming!
We will be offering free
snowmobile specific avalanche education this year. To schedule a talk and or a
field day please call 801-231-2170.
The information in this advisory
is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its
content.
This advisory describes
general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
I will update this advisory
by 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 12, 2003.
Thanks for calling