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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Sunday morning, December 19, 2021
Areas with CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger exist at upper elevations on drifted north-facing slopes where a persistent weak layer of facets near the ground can produce an avalanche. People could trigger avalanches remotely from a distance or from below. Avalanches of wind drifted snow are possible on all upper elevation slopes and at mid elevations on slopes facing northwest through east. Slopes in sunny terrain and at lower elevations have less snow and a LOW danger.
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Special Announcements
Friday, a skier in Big Cottonwood Canyon was fully buried in an avalanche. He survived without any major injuries. Read more HERE and watch the video of the avalanche below.
Sadly there was an avalanche in the mountains just west of Driggs, ID that resulted in two fatalities. News article HERE.
Weather and Snow
In the last week around three feet of snow with 3 inches of SWE (snow water equivalent) fell at upper elevations in the Bear River Range. Southwest winds picked up again last night, drifting the fresh snow in the mountains. The wind is stripping snow off of exposed slopes and depositing it in avalanche starting zones, creating stiff and tricky wind slabs. It will be mostly sunny and breezy today, with high temperatures near 28°F at 8500' and southwest winds gusting over 30 mph at times on the ridges. It looks like we will enjoy fair weather for the first part of the week before more snow arrives around Wednesday. Active winter weather will likely continue through Christmas and beyond.
Recent Avalanches
A couple skier triggered avalanches occurred yesterday in high north facing terrain. The largest was likely remotely triggered as it was observed near an uptrack near the Tony Grove-Blind Hollow Saddle at about 8800' on a north facing slope. The 2 to 3 foot deep avalanches appear to be failing on a persistent weak layer consisting of sugary faceted snow near the ground.
This avalanche in East Rock Bowl was probably remotely triggered by skiers hiking uphill nearby.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
On north facing slopes above 8000 ft, old snow became weak and faceted in some places and will produce a soft slab avalanche. This persistent weak layer does not exist everywhere, and we're still trying to determine where it does and doesn't exist. In many places the old snow from October and early November is capped by a hard ice/rain/rime crust and December snow is well bonded to it. Other slopes have a thin layer of small facets above this crust and the December snow is not well bonded to it.
Yesterday on Red Pine Ridge and near Logan Peak, we were hunting for this weak layer. Even though we could only find it in a few places, for now the only safe option is to assume it exists until proven otherwise, and avoid avalanche terrain on north facing slopes.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
There has been a lot of wind in the last 48 hours, and soft slabs of wind drifted snow may still produce avalanches. Fortunately these drifts are somewhat easy to see and avoid. The picture below shows what these drifts look like (wind was blowing from left to right in the photo).
Additional Information
  • Always follow safe backcountry travel protocols. Go one person at a time in avalanche terrain, while the rest of your party watches from a safe area.
  • Check your avalanche rescue equipment, change your batteries, and practice often with your backcountry partners.
  • Be very careful, keep your speed down, and stay in control. Encounters with shallowly buried rocks or down trees in the early season have led to many season-ending injuries.
  • The Tony Grove Road is not maintained for wheeled vehicles in the winter season.
General Announcements
  • Check out all the upcoming education classes and clinics HERE.
  • Please submit your observations from the backcountry HERE.
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