Wasatch Cache and Uinta National Forests

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

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

  

 

 

Avalanche ADVISORY

sunDAY february 4, 2007

The information in this advisory expires 24 hours after the date and time it’s issued, but will be updated on Wednesday February 7, 2007.

 

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 Sunday, February 4, 2007 and it’s about 7:00 in the morning. Avalanche advisories for the western Uinta’s are available on Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and all holidays and are brought to you in partnership with Utah State Parks and Recreation.

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 801-231-2170, or email at [email protected] and fill me in with all the details. 

 

I’d like to thank Jim Shea, The Canyons and Colleen Graham from the Friends of the UAC for all their hard work in making Friday night’s Know Before You Go fundraiser such a success!

 

Current Conditions:

Under mostly cloudy skies, temperatures remained mild overnight and currently it’s in the low to mid 20’s at the trailheads and at 10,000’. Along the high ridges west and northwesterly winds are starting to relax slightly, but are still averaging 25 mph gusting into the upper 30’s. The recent upper elevation wind event has wreaked havoc with the snow surface, though there are still pockets of soft settled powder on sheltered shady mid elevation slopes.

 

Avalanche Conditions:

An avalanche accident near the peak of the Pfeifferhorn on the ridgeline separating Little Cottonwood Canyon from Dry Creek Canyon occurred yesterday and one person remains in critical condition this morning as a result. The avalanche danger has changed significantly in the past 24 hours because winds have been nuking along the mid and upper elevation ridges. Blowing steadily out of the west and northwest with hourly averages in the 30’s, gusting into the 70’s at times on Saturday, you could see huge plumes of snow blowing off the higher peaks throughout the range. These hurricane force winds created dense hard slabs that are relatively shallow, but pack a surprisingly powerful punch. Slabs have formed on a variety of different aspects and elevations and in unusual places. In addition, they’re much further down slope than you might expect and have the possibility of breaking above a person. Remember- hard slabs are dangerous because the snow feels strong, luring us well out onto the slope before it avalanches. Today, look for and avoid smooth rounded looking pillows of snow which may have a hollow drum-like sound to them. Avalanches triggered today have the possibility of breaking into weaker snow as they descend the slope, creating a larger slide than you might think.     

 

Bottom Line:

At mid and upper elevations the avalanche danger is MODERATE today on any slope steeper than about 35 degrees with recent deposits of wind drifted snow. A MODERATE avalanche danger means human triggered avalanches are possible.

On wind sheltered slopes the avalanche danger is generally LOW.

 

Mountain Weather:

A ridge of high pressure will begin to settle in over the region today, ushering in clearing skies and warmer temperatures. Highs today at 10,000’ will be near 32 degrees and at 8,000’ in the mid to upper 30’s. Overnight lows dip into the low 20’s. Winds will slowly decrease over the next 24 hours, but will still be an issue today blowing out of the west and northwest at speeds of 25-35 mph along the ridges. Temperatures warm for Monday and Tuesday and a few weak systems slide through the area later in the week. It looks like a change in the dry weather pattern is on tap to develop by next weekend with a series of storm systems impacting the region. It’s still too early to tell the track and timing of the storms, but we should have a better idea for Wednesday’s midweek update. 

 

Announcements:

The first annual western Uinta fundraising ride was an amazing success with nearly 150 people showing up for the ride alone!

I want to thank the Jim Shea Family Foundation, Rocky Mountain Sledders, the Wasatch Snowmobile Association and the Utah Snowmobile Association for all their tireless work in putting the event together. Thanks again to Team Thunderstruck and the Boondockers crew for helping out and schooling even the most experienced riders. Also, we couldn’t have pulled it off if it weren’t for Chad Booth who did an incredible job as both master of ceremonies and auctioneer. Finally, it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of everyone who attended… you folks are awesome!  

 

I want to thank the crew at Tri-City Performance in Springville along with Polaris and the Utah Snowmobile Association for partnering with the avalanche center and stepping up to the plate by providing a new sled for this season!  Click here, to see the new ride!

 

We installed Beacon Basin at the Noblett’s Trailhead and it’s good to go. I want to thank Doug, Bill, Jared, Brad and Wally who

unselfishly took time out of their powder day to help out the riding community… you guys rock!

 

Free avalanche awareness classes are available. Give me a call at 801-231-2170 or email [email protected] and get one scheduled before the season gets too crazy!

 
If any terms confuse you, take a look at our new avalanche encyclopedia.

 

For avalanche photos click here.

 

General Information: 

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’ll update this advisory by 7:00 am on Wednesday February 7,2007.

This advisory is also available by calling 1-800-648-7433 or

1-888-999-4019.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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