Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Uintas Area Mountains Issued by Craig Gordon for Saturday - March 3, 2018 - 3:24am
bottom line

For today, in upper elevation terrain, especially in the wind zone at and above treeline, the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE. Both human triggered and natural avalanches are likely on steep wind drifted slopes facing the north half of the compass, particularly those with an easterly component to their aspect. An avalanche triggered today can quickly get out of hand if it breaks into weak layers of snow, now buried deeper in our snowpack.

Winds are getting into mid elevation terrain as well and you'll encounter a MODERATE avalanche danger on steep slopes with recent deposits of wind drifted snow.

LOW avalanche danger exists on lower elevation, wind sheltered terrain and on most slopes facing the south half of the compass.
avalanche watch

* TIMING...IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MST THIS MORNING TO 6 AM MST SUNDAY.

* AFFECTED AREA...FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN UTAH INCLUDING THE WASATCH RANGE, BEAR RIVER RANGE, AND THE UINTA MOUNTAINS

* AVALANCHE DANGER...THE AVALANCHE DANGER FOR THE WARNING AREA IS CONSIDERABLE AND IS EXPECTED TO RISE TO HIGH BY SUNDAY.

* REASON/IMPACTS...STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY SNOWFALL WILL LIKELY CREATE DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS BY EARLY SUNDAY, AND CONTINUING INTO MONDAY. BOTH HUMAN TRIGGERED AND NATURAL AVALANCHES ARE LIKELY. STAY OFF OF AND OUT FROM UNDERNEATH SLOPES STEEPER THAN 30 DEGREES.

THIS WATCH DOES NOT APPLY TO SKI AREAS WHERE AVALANCHE HAZARD REDUCTION MEASURES ARE PERFORMED.
current conditions

So do you think this storm is ever going to materialize? I sorta feel like a kid a couple days before Christmas. And with cautious optimism, I look to my elders and digest all the clues that suggest... have patience, it's gonna happen. Under a veil of thickening clouds, temperatures are in the teens and upper 20's. Southerly winds continue cranking into the 50's and 60's along the high ridges. Riding and turning conditions are hit or miss with all but the most wind sheltered terrain still offering soft, settled snow.

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

Ted was in Millcreek Thursday and found variable conditions and a relatively weak snowpack. More on is his travels here.

You can find a great body of recent trip reports, observations, and snow data here.


recent activity

No significant new avalanche activity to report.
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

It took a good thump, but the slab pictured above from Thursday started out as a fresh wind drift, then quickly broke into weaker snow buried deeper in the pack. Recent avalanche activity continues to suggest this avalanche dragon isn't healing any time soon. Prime suspects include terrain that has already avalanched this year along with a vast majority of steep, shady slopes that have remained thin and shallow this winter. Terrain with these characteristics remains suspect and should be considered guilty until proven otherwise. Sounds complicated, but the answer is easy. The way we manage unpredictable avalanche dragons is to simply avoid where they live. So today you'll want to steer clear of steep, rocky, wind drifted slopes, especially if they've got a "trapdoor" or punchy feeling.

Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

Winds are all over the place and with a couple inches of snow to work with, a fresh batch of stiff wind slabs are forming on the leeward side of upper elevation ridges and around terrain features like chutes and gullies. Once triggered, today's drifts are gonna break deeper and wider than you might expect and they'll pack a punch. You can ride safely today by looking for and avoiding fat, rounded pillows of snow, especially if they sound hollow like a drum.
weather


The storm remains north of the area through much of the day and as a result, southerly winds continue ripping along the high ridges, blowing in the 50's and 60's. High temperatures climb into the mid and upper 30's. Winds switch to the west late in the day, usher in the storm and it starts snowing in earnest tonight. Still looks like a foot of snow is a good bet.
general announcements

The information in this advisory expires 24 hours after the date and time posted, but will be updated by 7:00 AM Sunday March 4th, 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.