Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Uintas Area Mountains Issued by Craig Gordon for Sunday - February 11, 2018 - 4:15am
bottom line

The avalanche hazard is generally LOW. However avalanches breaking to our midpack facet/crust combo remain possible in isolated terrain. Most experienced riders I know, continue to avoid bulls-eye avalanche terrain... steep slopes facing north half of the compass, especially those in the wind zone.




special announcement

We still have a few open slots for this weeks Avy Moto 101. Click here for more details and to register.

current conditions

Yesterday's underforecast, over producing storm.... well it over produced, stacking up close to 5" of ultra light density snow across the range. Skies cleared overnight and the temperatures crashed to near zero. Currently they're struggling to get out of the single digits. Along the high ridges, northwest winds blow in the teens and 20's, registering a finger numbing -15 degrees with wind chill. Ridng and turning condtions vastly improved with yesterday's snow and mid elevation, wind sheltered slopes are the ticket today.

Above are 24 hour temperatures and snow depth from Trial Lake along with winds and temperatures from Windy Peak. More remote Uinta weather stations are found here

We were in Upper Chalk Creek Friday and found mostly stable snow and a mixed bag of snow conditions. Above, Andy skins in a sea of silky, sustrugi.

Meanwhile, Ted was on the eastern side of the range near Elizabeth Pass and commented how this time of year the sign above is usually buried with snow.

More on our travels along with a great body of recent trip reports, observations, and snow data are found here.


recent activity


Shallow wind slabs and sluffing on steep slopes were reported yesterday, otherwise no significant new avalanche activity.

Avalanche Problem 1
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

As the snowpack gets comfortable in its own skin, the possibilty of triggering an avalanche that breaks to our persistent midpack weakness, the Thanksgiving crust/facet combo, begins to decrease... and that's good news, suggesting we're trending in the right direction. I wouldn't exactly call it a "green light, ride if it's white" kind of snowpack, but I do think you'd really have to go out of your way to trigger an avalanche today. The most likely type of terrain is steep, upper elevation slopes, especially those facing the north half of the compass. While more the execption than the rule, once triggered, an avalanche breaking near our midpack problem child will quickly get out of hand and could instantly ruin our day. Fortunately, the riding conditions are improving on other aspects and we have more options on the table to avoid this avalanche dragon. Simply swing around to lower elevation slopes or choose low angle terrain with no steep slopes above or adjacent to where you're riding.

weather

Look for mostly sunny skies with temperatures rising into the upper 20's. Northwest winds decrease throughout the day, switch to the southwest later today and bump into the 20's and 30's by about dinner time. A weak disturbance slides through the region Monday, bringing light snow to the northern Utah mountains.

general announcements

The information in this advisory expires 24 hours after the date and time posted, but will be updated by 7:00 AM Monday February 12th, 2018.

If you're getting out and about, please let me know what you're seeing especially if you see or trigger and avalanche. I can be reached at [email protected] or 801-231-2170

It's also a good time to set up one of our very popular avalanche awareness classes. Reach out to me and I'll make it happen.

This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.