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

sundAY april 16, 2006

This advisory expires 24 hours from the date and time posted and will be the last of my regularly scheduled advisories. I will update this advisory early in the week with some general avalanche information, including tips to help you out while there’s no avalanche advisory available.

Good morning and happy Easter! 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 April 16, 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.

Thank you… Thank you… Thank you!

I’d like to thank those of you who helped to support this program all season. In particular, big thanks goes out to Utah State Parks and Recreation, the Kamas and Evanston Ranger Districts, the Utah Snowmobile Association, Tri-City Performance, Polaris Snowmobiles, Park City Powder Cats, the National Weather Service, BRORA, Backcountry Access and all of you who were diligent in calling in timely snowpack and avalanche observations.

Current Conditions:

You’ll want to hang on to your Easter bonnet today as a strong southerly flow develops ahead of a potent Pacific cold front which is slated to slam into the region tonight and tomorrow. South winds have been cranking along the ridges since about midnight, blowing 20-35 mph with gusts in the low 50’s. Skies are partly cloudy and current 8,000’ temperatures are in the low 30’s and it’s 24 degrees at 11,000’. Surprisingly good, cold dry powder can still be found on the highest north facing slopes above about 10,000’. On the other side of the compass and on most slopes at mid and lower elevations, clear skies last night would have allowed for a decent refreeze and mostly supportable crusts exist.

Avalanche Conditions:

Today’s cow tipping winds will have no problem moving snow around at the upper elevations, forming pockety wind drifts which will be sensitive to the weight of a person. The usual suspect terrain is where you’ll find the bulk of today’s slab formation- leeward slopes facing the north half of the compass and around terrain features such as chutes, gullies and sub-ridges. In addition, strong winds will have loaded the slope further down off the ridges than you might expect, so don’t be surprised to find drifting on mid slope breakovers. Today’s avalanches will be mostly manageable, breaking at your skis or machine rather than up above you. However, as the day wares on and the winds continue to blow; drifts may become a little deeper and more widespread. As always, think about the consequences of triggering a slide and don’t show up for Easter dinner late, battered and bruised with an amazing tale of survival to tell.

The second avalanche problem is the danger of wet slides as the day heats up. Fortunately, I think last night’s refreeze would’ve locked up the snowpack for the first time in four nights and it won’t become quite the bottomless slop like in recent days. Remember though, if the slope you’re riding on turns to wet glop, simply move to a cooler aspect or get off the snow entirely. Also think about your exits late in the day and try to avoid terrain traps like gullies and steep road cuts on the way back to your rig.

Bottom Line:

The danger of dry snow avalanches at upper elevations near and above tree-line 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.

If the weather forecast verifies, I’d expect the avalanche danger will rise to CONSIDERABLE in this type of terrain on Monday. Human triggered avalanches will be probable, natural avalanches possible.

Today at all elevations the danger of wet, loose slides is generally LOW this morning, rising to MODERATE on steep slopes with daytime heating.

Mountain Weather:

Today we can expect increasing clouds throughout the day, warm temperatures and gusty southwest winds. Highs at 8,000’ will be in the mid 40’s and at 10,000’ in the low to mid 30’s. Overnight lows crash into the low 20’s after the cold front arrives sometime before midnight. Winds will be strong, out of the south and southwest, blowing 20-30 mph with gusts into the 40’s and 50’s along the ridges. Light snow should develop early this evening with heavier snows beginning to fall early Monday morning. Temperatures will be much colder and daytime highs will only reach into the low 30’s. Snow will continue throughout the day into early evening and should taper off by late Monday night. I’d say we’re looking at about a foot before it’s all said and done. High pressure builds for the latter half of the week.

Announcements:

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

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.

Have a safe spring and summer and we’ll see you back here next season when the snow flies!

Thanks for calling!