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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Wednesday morning, February 9, 2022
The backcountry avalanche danger is LOW. The snow is mostly stable, and avalanches are unlikely.
  • Use normal caution. Watch for and avoid stiff wind drifted snow on steep upper elevation slopes, loose recrystallized snow on very steep sustained slopes, and saturated, sun-softened snow in sheltered sunny terrain in the midday heat.
We will update this forecast on Friday morning.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements
  • Now is a great time to practice your avalanche rescue skills. Thanks to the generous support of Northstar, the Franklin Basin Beacon Training Park is up and running. The park is located directly west of the parking lot and is open for anyone to use. All you need is your beacon and probe. Please do not dig up the transmitters.
  • Thanks to the generous support of our local resorts and Ski Utah, discount lift tickets are now available. Support the UAC while you ski at the resorts this season. Tickets are available HERE.
Weather and Snow
Now is a great time to take advantage of nice weather and LOW avalanche danger in the backcountry, so get out there and explore the mountains with your family and friends.
The snow is generally stable across the Logan Zone, and it's been over a month since we've seen any avalanche activity. We've been finding the best riding conditions on lower-angled slopes in sheltered, shaded terrain. As you'd expect after a month of dry weather conditions, variable snow surface conditions are found in most places, ranging from soft and shallow recrystallized powder to breakable and bulletproof crusts.
We found some nice shallow powder Friday in sheltered low angled terrain. Burn Bowl 2-4-2022
The 8400' Tony Grove Snotel reports 25°F, and there is 65 inches of total snow containing 107% of normal SWE for the date. Winds out of the northwest are blowing around 27 mph with gusts around 45 mph this morning at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station. It will be sunny in the mountains again today, with a high temperature at 8500' around 31°F and 14 to 17 mph northwest winds. Tonight, temperatures will drop to around 15°F, with 13 to 16 mph northwest winds. It will be a little warmer, around 34°F, and sunny again tomorrow with a 15 mph breeze from the northwest. The same dry weather will continue through at least the weekend, but there is a hint of a possible storm brewing for early next week, (Tuesday-Wednesday).
You can find nice smooth, shallow, recrystallized surface snow or "loud powder" in sheltered areas, and a wide variety of crusts and thin layers of facets elsewhere.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Normal Caution
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Remember, LOW avalanche danger doesn't mean NO avalanche danger.
  • Although unlikely, people might trigger shallow slab avalanches of drifted snow on steep slopes in wind exposed upper elevation terrain. Watch for and avoid stiffer drifted snow at upper elevations on the lee side of major ridges and in and around terrain features like sub-ridges, gullies, and cliff bands.
  • Loose avalanches of recrystallized or faceted surface snow are possible on some very steep and sustained slopes. These are generally manageable unless you are caught and pulled into terrain traps like trees, gullies, or benches.
  • Warmer mountain temperatures mean small loose wet avalanches may become possible in sheltered sunny terrain in the heat of the day, especially in steep terrain around heat-trapping rocks or cliff bands. Roller balls, pinwheels, and loose sluffs indicate potential for wet avalanche activity. If you start sinking into saturated snow, it's time to move into the shade or leave.
Other than avalanches, there are many other hazards in mountain travel to pay attention to.
  • The fresh snow was scoured off of many exposed slopes and the remaining surface snow is hard, crusty, and slick - a person could easily slip, fall, and slide out of control down a steep slope. In some steep areas you'll need to kick your boots into hard snow, you may need crampons to get a grip and an ice axe to self arrest if you fall.
  • If you're going fast, a breakable crust could grab a ski and send you flipping, "head over tea kettle."
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. (practice anytime while traveling on or under backcountry slopes steeper than 30°)
  • Check your avalanche rescue equipment, change your batteries, and practice often with your backcountry partners.
    Check slope angles, and to avoid avalanche terrain stay off of and out from under slopes steeper than 30° and adjacent slopes. Video Here
General Announcements
Special thank you to Polaris and Northstar...Video Here
Who's up for some free avalanche training? Get a refresher, become better prepared for an upcoming avalanche class, or just boost your skills. Go to https://learn.kbyg.org/ and scroll down to Step 2 for a series of interactive online avalanche courses produced by the UAC.
  • Check out all the upcoming education classes and clinics HERE.
  • Please submit your observations from the backcountry HERE.
This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
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