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Forecast for the Moab Area Mountains

Eric Trenbeath
Issued by Eric Trenbeath on
Tuesday morning, December 10, 2019
The avalanche danger is generally LOW and mostly stable snow conditions exist. Isolated areas of unstable, wind drifted snow may exist in upper elevation wind exposed terrain that faces NW-N-E. And though unlikely, it may also be possible to trigger an avalanche on a buried persistent weak layer on steep, northerly facing terrain.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements
The avalanche beacon tester is up and running at the Geyser Pass trailhead! Walk or ride past the sign on your way up - a red X means your beacon is off or not functioning, a green O means you're good to go! Thanks to UAC volunteer and supporter Kristi Jensen from Coyote Shuttle for helping me get it set up!
Road Conditions: The road is snow packed and slick but passable to all-wheel drive vehicles with good tires.
Grooming update: Matt rolled and packed into Gold Basin yesterday. Conditions are good for classic cross country but a bit rugged for skate skiing.
Weather and Snow
Skies are clear, NW winds are light to moderate, and 10,000' temps are in the high single digits. It's going to be a beautiful day up there with sunny skies, light westerly winds, and high temps in the upper 20's. Look for increasing clouds tomorrow as a weak disturbance moves through. Clear skies return again on Thursday before we start to feel the effects of the next system Fri-Sun. It's currently looking to favor northern and central Utah.
It turns out we did pick up a trace to an inch of snow on Sunday, and it did make a difference. Conditions remain decent in sheltered areas over a supportable base. Coverage is good for this time of year but it's definitely time for more snow. Base depth in Gold Basin is 30". For more detailed reports on conditions check out these observations from Dave Garcia and Brian Hays who were also out and about yesterday. Aron Smith gave me a call and reported good riding conditions over on the east side of the range.
Looking good for this time of year but it's time for more snow! Brian Hays photo.
Wind, temperature, humidity on Pre Laurel Peak (11,700')
Storm totals at Gold Basin Study Plot (10,000').
Snotel site near Geyser Pass Trailhead (9600').
NWS weather forecast.
Recent Avalanches
There was a close call in the Logan area mountains on Saturday where two riders were caught in an avalanche. Once was partially buried. Both ended up ok. DETAILS HERE.
The partially buried rider's had is sticking up in the photo below.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Normal Caution
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Mostly stable snow conditions exist, but low danger doesn't mean no danger, and it's always important to maintain avalanche awareness in the mountains. Here are a couple of problems to remain aware of:
Wind Drifted Snow
The La Sals are a high, exposed, and isolated mountain range that is subject to a lot of wind. Isolated wind slabs may still exist in the high country that could be sensitive to the weight of a skier or rider. Look for hard wind slabs on the lee sides of ridge crests and terrain features in upper elevation, wind-exposed terrain. They are recognizable by their smooth, rounded appearance and my sound or feel hollow like a drum. Cracking is a sign of instability.
Persistent Weak Layer
There is a layer of moderately weak, small-grained faceted snow at the base of the snowpack. Stability tests are not producing failures on this buried weak layer but its presence is worth noting. Prudent travelers will perform their own stability tests before jumping on to any steep, northerly facing slopes. Areas of rocky, more radical terrain with shallower snow are the most suspect.
Continue to carry appropriate rescue gear: beacon, probe, shovel and practice safe travel techniques by only putting one person on a slope at a time.
General Announcements
The first UAC podcast of the season " Early Season Essentials with Program Director Bo Torrey" check it out HERE.
Get one of these cool t-shirts to support the UAC and other avalanche centers across the U.S.
This forecast is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
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