Wasatch Cache and Uinta National Forests

In partnership with: Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center, The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah State Parks,

Tri-City Performance, Polaris, the Utah Snowmobile Association, the National Weather Service, BRORA, and Backcountry Access.

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Avalanche advisory

saturdAY january 14, 2006

This advisory expires 24 hours from the date and time posted, but will be updated by 7:30 am sunday january 15, 2006.

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. Today is Saturday, January 14, 2006 and it’s 7:00 a.m. Avalanche advisories for the western Uintas are available on Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and all holidays.

This advisory covers the terrain from Daniels Summit, to Mirror Lake, to the North Slope of the western Uinta Mountains. That’s a lot of turf and I can’t be in all of these places at once. Your snow and avalanche observations are critical to this program and help to save other riders lives by getting accurate information out to the public. I’m interested in what you’re seeing especially if you see or trigger an avalanche. Please call 1-800-662-4140, or 801-231-2170, or email to [email protected] and fill us in with all the details.

Announcements:

“Beacon Basin” is successfully installed and ready to use at the Noblett’s Trailhead. While you’re waiting for your partners 
to gear up, swing by and test your beacon skills. It’s free and easily accessible from the parking lot. A big thanks goes 
out to Doug, Bill and Scott for rounding up the troops to help out and to Backcountry Access for providing all the gear. 
 
A special thanks to Tri-City Performance, Polaris and The Utah Snowmobile Association for stepping up to the plate 
and partnering to provide a new sled for this program. 
 
The Moffit Peak weather station is up and running. This site was made possible through generous donations
by BRORA, The Utah Snowmobile Association, and the National Weather Service. You can view data by clicking here.

For avalanche photos click here.

Current Conditions:

Clouds are just starting to stream into the area early this morning, as the leading edge of a powerful Pacific storm sets its sights on Utah. Southerly winds have been blowing since late yesterday afternoon with averages in the teens and gusts in the mid 30’s. Temperatures are fairly mild, near freezing at the trailheads and in the mid 20’s at 11,000’. No new snow has fallen in the past 24 hours and the combination of sun and warm temperatures in recent days has made for some funky, wet snow conditions particularly at low elevations and on sunny aspects. However, the powder party isn’t totally over- good cold snow can still be found on mid and upper elevation, wind protected shady slopes.

Avalanche Conditions:

With a strong storm headed our way, I’d expect the avalanche danger to rise accordingly in the next 24-36 hours. It looks like we’ll be seeing a good shot of snow and wind, so our relatively benign avalanche conditions will be rapidly changing, especially tomorrow. Ahead of the storm, be on the lookout today for fresh wind drifts which will be forming on leeward terrain at upper elevations in the wind zone. While most of the old surface snow is pretty glued in place, it never ceases to amaze me how strong winds can find just enough snow to blow around and form wind slabs. These slabs will become more widespread, deeper and more sensitive as the day progresses, so be alert to changing snow and weather conditions. While most of the wind drifts will be forming on slopes facing the north half of the compass, there may be some cross-loading which occurs in chutes and gullies on southerly aspects as well. Today’s avalanches should be pretty manageable, but as always, think about the consequences of triggering a slide. Getting beat up by a group of trees or carried over a cliff will definitely ruin your powder day tomorrow.

While our snowpack has been relatively well behaved this winter, we do have some weaknesses in the mid portion of the snowpack which could come back to haunt us. It looks like we’re going into a stormy period this week. So as the snow starts to stack up be aware, avalanches may begin breaking into deeper, buried weak layers.

Bottom Line:

At upper elevations, at and above tree-line, the avalanche danger is MODERATE today on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees, with recent deposits of wind drifted snow. A MODERATE avalanche danger means human triggered avalanches are possible. By Sunday morning, I’d expect the avalanche danger may increase to CONSIDERABLE in this type of terrain, meaning human triggered avalanches are probable.

On wind sheltered slopes less than 35 degrees the avalanche danger is generally LOW.

Mountain Weather:

A potent upper level storm system and associated cold front will impact the area beginning late this evening, and persist throughout Sunday.

Today we can expect mostly cloudy skies, warm temperatures and strong southerly winds. Highs at 8,000’ will be near 40 degrees and at 10,000’ in the low 30’s. Winds will be out of the south and southwest, blowing 20-30 mph with stronger gusts possible along the highest ridges. Snow will develop and become heavy at times after midnight tonight as the cold front pushes through the area. Winds will decrease and switch to the northwest and temperatures will drop into the low 20’s. Snowfall totals for early Sunday morning should be in the 4”-7” range with an additional foot expected during the day. High temperatures for Sunday will be about 20 degrees colder than today’s. A break in the action for Monday and Tuesday, with another storm expected on Wednesday.

General Information:

If you haven’t taken one of our free snowmobile specific avalanche awareness classes, schedule one now before things get too crazy. Give me a call at 801-231-2170 and I’d be happy to tailor a talk for your group.

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 expires 24 hours from the date and time posted, but will be updated by 7:30 am on Sunday January 15, 2006.

Thanks for calling!