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

Good morning and happy New Year! This is Craig Gordon with the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather advisory for the western Uinta Mountains. Today is Thursday, January 1, 2004 and it’s 7:30 a.m.

Current conditions:

Light snowfall began late yesterday afternoon and so far we’ve received 2” at the lower elevations and 4” above 9,000’. Southerly winds have backed off for the time being and hourly averages are in the 10-15 mph range with gusts in the mid 20’s along the ridges. Trail breaking has become a little more manageable and very good powder riding and turning conditions can be found particularly in wind sheltered mid elevation terrain.

Avalanche Conditions:

The southwesterly winds have been the big issue in the upper elevation terrain surrounding the region as they have been blowing steadily now for the past 24 hours. These winds have loaded predominately north through east facing slopes. Fitting into this pattern, yesterday I noticed two natural avalanches that occurred in steep terrain on the east face of Mount Watson and the north face of Murdock Mountain. These slides were initiating as shallow slabs, but quickly stepped down into weaker layers in the pack as they descended the slope producing fairly large avalanches.

With strong winds on tap again today and plenty of snow available for transport wind drifts will be more widespread, deeper, and quite sensitive to the added weight of a backcountry traveler. Be on the lookout for slabs that would have formed around terrain features such as chutes, gully walls, and sub-ridges. Steep break-overs should be approached with caution as mid-slope loading has occurred as well. To complicate matters, yesterday’s new snow has covered over these slabs making them harder to detect. Finally, cornices have grown large and have the possibility of breaking further back than you might expect.

Today you’ll need to be on your toes and be alert to the tell tale signs of instability such as cracking around your skis or machine as well as collapsing or “whumphing” of the snowpack.

Since Christmas day we have doubled the depth of our snowpack. Remember that all this added weight fell on top of a relatively weak pack to begin with. Slopes that have not naturally avalanched just need a good thump from the added weight of a backcountry traveler to tip the scales. Avalanches triggered where the snowpack is shallow and weak could easily break into deeper layers near the ground producing a large and dangerous slide.

Winds will continue to plague us today and tonight and with more snow on the way be aware of an increasing avalanche danger over next 24 hours.

Bottom Line:

The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE today at upper elevations near and above timberline on slopes steeper than 35 degrees with recent deposits of wind drifted snow. Human triggered avalanches are probable and natural avalanches are possible.

At mid elevations the avalanche danger is MODERATE today on slopes steeper than 35 degrees with recent deposits of wind drifted snow. Human triggered avalanches are possible.

At low elevations and on slopes less steep than 30 degrees the avalanche danger is generally LOW.

Mountain Weather:

A winter storm warning is in effect for the area. Today we can expect increasing clouds, snow, and strong southwesterly winds. Temperatures will warm slightly with highs at 10,000’ near 20 degrees and at 8,000’ in the mid to upper 20’s. Overnight lows will be near 20 degrees. Winds will be out of the southwest at speeds of 20-35 mph during the day with higher gusts along the ridges. By this afternoon it will be nuking in the upper elevations with wind gusts in the 70’s. Snow should begin later this afternoon with 3”-8” forecast today and another 6”-12” tonight. The cold front arrives on Friday and winds should switch to the west and relax a bit and we can expect an additional 6”-12” of snow. The storm should be winding down on Saturday though unsettled weather will remain in place for the rest of the weekend.

General Information:

We can always use snow and avalanche information and your snowpack and avalanche observations could help to save someone’s life! If you see or trigger an avalanche give us a call at 801-231-2170 or 1-800-662-4140.

Also, if you’d like to schedule a free avalanche awareness talk and/or field day give us a call at 801-524-5304.

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.

This advisory will be updated by 7:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan.2, 2004.

Thanks for calling.