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Forecast for the Logan Area Mountains

Toby Weed
Issued by Toby Weed on
Thursday morning, March 18, 2021
The snow is stable, avalanches are unlikely, and the danger is LOW in the backcountry. Even so, warm daytime temperatures and hot sun will cause increasing danger of wet avalanches, especially on sunny slopes. If you notice rapid warming or start sinking into saturated snow it's time to head home. Unlikely but dangerous avalanches failing on a deeply buried sugary persistent weak layer remain possible in isolated very steep terrain, and significant warming in the next couple days could cause rising danger.
USE NORMAL CAUTION
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Moderate
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Special Announcements
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Weather and Snow
It's 29°F this morning at the 8400' Tony Grove Snotel, and with 1 inch of new snow in the last 24 hours, there is 66 inches of total snow with 80% of normal SWE. It's 26°F and south winds are blowing 15 to 20 mph at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station. We're expecting mostly sunny skies today, high temperatures at 9000' around 41°F, and moderate south-southwest winds. Looks likely we'll see snow in the Logan Zone this weekend, starting Friday night and becoming heavy at times on Saturday, with 8 to 14 inches of accumulation possible on upper elevation slopes by Saturday evening. Expect heavy snow and drifting with the storm to cause rising danger and elevated avalanche conditions in the backcountry.
We are finding stable snow conditions and generally Low avalanche danger in the backcountry.
Spring is here in Cache Valley, but it's still transition season in the mountains and there is plenty of dry, layered snow. (Valley perspective, Wellsiville Mountains reflected in the Little Bear River)

Areas with poor snow structure and dry weak sugary or faceted snow can still be found where the snowpack is thin, (around 3' deep or less), on the north side of the compass, on windward and mid-elevation slopes, slopes with grass and bushes showing, and in rocky, shallow terrain. Although unlikely, there is still a possibility that a person could trigger a dangerous avalanche on a very steep isolated slope in the Logan Zone.
Paige found plenty of weak sugary or faceted snow in the Beaver Mountain Backcountry last weekend.

As daytime temperatures rise, softening the snow, the danger of wet avalanches will increase, so its a good idea to get in the habit of an early start and to plan on heading down before things get too sloppy.
Recent Avalanches
  • Four people were caught, carried over a cliff, and injured in a small wind slab avalanche on the east ridge of the Pfeifferhorn on Sunday in the Wasatch Mountains above Salt Lake City . details are HERE
  • -In the Logan Zone it's been over two weeks since any avalanches failing on our nasty deeply buried persistent weak layer occurred. See Twitter Post
  • -A few recent (or previously unreported) natural avalanches were observed on 3-17-21 in the Bloomington Canyon Area, west of Bear Lake. We are unsure about the timing of these as evidence of many other natural avalanches in the zone from our widespread February cycle is still quite apparent across the Logan Zone...
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Avalanche Problem #1
Normal Caution
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Location
Likelihood
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Description
  • Although suspect persistent weak layers are dormant, the sugary faceted snow near the ground may continue to be devious on some slopes. Dangerous avalanches, 2 to 3 feet deep may still be possible for people to trigger on very steep isolated slopes, in rocky terrain, and on outlying drifted slopes with generally thin snow cover. Warming conditions in the next couple days may reawaken the dragon and cause some potential for avalanches running on a persistent weak layer or even wet slab avalanches in steep terrain.
  • Warm daytime temperatures will soften the snow and cause a rising danger of wet avalanches on some slopes in the heat of the day. It's probably a good idea to get into the springtime habit of early departures, so you can be heading down out of avalanche terrain before the snow gets too soft. Watch for trees or other terrain traps below you if you venture onto steep slopes.
Additional Information
Do you have the essential avalanche rescue gear (transceiver, probe, and shovel) and do you know how to use them? Watch this video to see how the three pieces of equipment work together. HERE
Please keep practicing with the Beacon Training Park at the Franklin Basin Trailhead. Test yourself and your riding partners. It is free, fun, and easy to use.
General Announcements
Allen Foss of Preston, ID was killed in an avalanche Saturday, February 20, near Sherman Peak. Please consider supporting the Foss family during this difficult time. HERE
Visit this website with information about Responsible Winter Recreation by the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation.
EMAIL ADVISORY. If you would like to get the daily advisory by email you subscribe HERE.
Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche observations....HERE. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your Instagram, or @UAClogan on Twitter.
We will update this forecast by around 7:30 tomorrow morning.
This forecast is from the USDA Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. The forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.