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.

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Avalanche advisory

wednesdAY march 8, 2006

This advisory expires 24 hours from the date and time posted, but will be updated by 7:30 am saturday march 11, 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 Wednesday March 8, 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 good to go and ready to use at the Noblett’s Trailhead.  While you’re waiting for your partners 
to gear up, swing by and test your avalanche beacon skills. It’s free and easily accessible from the parking lot. A big thanks 
goes out to members of the Utah Snowmobile Association for assisting in the installation 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 the Utah Avalanche Center’s western Uinta avalanche forecasting 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:

A band of snow showers moved through the region late last night, depositing an inch or two of light density snow. Storm totals are now nearing a foot at the upper elevations and about half that amount below 9,500’. Winds are light, out of the northwest, blowing 10-20 mph along the ridges. Current temperatures at 8,000’ are in the low to mid 20’s and at 10,000’ a winter-like 12 degrees. Monday night’s sleeper storm gave the mountains a much needed new coat of white paint, drastically improving the riding and turning conditions. While yesterday may not have been the best powder day all year, it was certainly the best day so far this month. Mid elevation, sheltered shady slopes are the ticket, where you’ll find cold light settled powder.

 

Avalanche Conditions:

Our designer storms have treated us well this season and Monday night’s storm was no exception. These tailor fitted storms with light density snow and hardly any winds add little weight to the snowpack. In addition, the warmer temperatures allow the new snow to settle and gain strength rather rapidly. Unfortunately, winds are expected to increase this morning and there’s enough new snow, especially at the upper elevations to blow around and form wind drifts which will be sensitive to the weight of a rider today. The good news, these new slabs should be fairly manageable and relatively soft and predictable. Most of the drifts will form near or just slightly off of the leeward side of upper elevation ridges and defensive measures such as well placed slope cuts should provide you with a good barometer of stability. Once you’re out of the wind, sluffing on steep shady slopes will be the biggest concern. Take care in either situation that one of these “manageable” slides doesn’t get out of hand and become “unmanageable”, taking you for a ride over a cliff or burying you in a terrain trap such as a gully.   

As a heads up- The avalanche conditions will be changing in the next 24-36 hours as a strong storm is headed our way Thursday. Should the forecast verify, expect the avalanche danger to rise accordingly.

 

Bottom Line:

The avalanche danger in upper elevation terrain near and above tree-line, is MODERATE today especially on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees which have new deposits of wind drifted snow. Human triggered avalanches are possible.

In wind sheltered terrain the avalanche danger is generally LOW.

 

Mountain Weather: 

A cold, moist northwesterly flow gives us an occasional snow shower or two early this morning, before the system exits the state. Northerly winds are expected to increase for a few hours, into the 15-30 mph range along the highest ridges, before quieting down towards the afternoon. Cold air will slide through the region this morning keeping high temperatures at 8,000’ in the mid 20’s and at 10,000’ in the upper teens. Overnight lows drop into the mid teens as the next storm approaches. Thursday looks like a cold and stormy day with strong winds and occasional heavy snow which should move into the area shortly after sunrise. A foot of snow is expected by sunset and a cold, unsettled pattern is on tap through the weekend.

 

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 Saturday March 11, 2006.

Thanks for calling!