Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Friday - February 19, 2016 - 6:15am
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CONSIDERABLE (level 3): Dangerous avalanche conditions probably exist, and triggered wind slab avalanches are likely today on some drifted upper elevation slopes. Heightened conditions exist on many other slopes in the backcountry, with triggered wind slab, storm snow, and loose wet avalanches all possible on slopes steeper than about 30 degrees. Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully, and avoid travel on or below steep drifted slopes.




special announcement

We are offering an Avalanche Awareness for Snowmobilers Course on February 25 & 27. For more information and to register go..... HERE
current conditions

We'll find greatly improved riding conditions in the backcountry today with a good shot of new snow across the zone yesterday and overnight. Yesterday, heavy and drifting snow was sticking pretty well to the crusty surface snow and softening the ride significantly. I'm not sure how much snow we picked up across the zone, since the Snotel system is down, but there's 12 inches of new snow in the last 24 hours on Beaver Mt. Beaver is reporting 68 inches of total snow, and 20 degrees at the top of the mountain. I'm reading 16 degrees at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, and west winds averaging 15 to 20 mph this morning. The station recorded very strong and sustained wind from the south-southwest for several hours yesterday morning, with average wind speeds in excess of 40 mph and gusts nearing 80 mph. Dangerous avalanche conditions probably exist, and triggered wind slab avalanches are likely today on some drifted upper elevation slopes.
recent activity
  • Large natural wet avalanches occurred overnight and during the day Monday, (2-15) and continued for the last few days in Logan Canyon and at lower and mid elevations across the zone. Video Report
  • A natural loose wet avalanche crossed the River Trail and hit the Logan River just above Stoke's Nature Center. Video Report
  • A wet avalanche crossed Hwy 89 in Logan Canyon at the Dugway at around 2:30 in the afternoon on Monday (2-15-16).
  • On Tuesday afternoon (2-16-16) a fisherman witnessed a large natural wet avalanche come crashing into the stream just in front of him, while he was wading (and catching fish) in the Logan River below Temple Fork
    ***To view our updated list of backcountry observations and avalanche activity from around Utah, go to our observations page

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

Very strong winds yesterday drifted the heavy new snow into avalanche starting zones at upper elevations, and you are likely to trigger wind slab avalanches up to around 2 feet deep on some steep drifted slopes. Expect to find new drifts and wind slabs well off major ridge lines and perhaps in rather unexpected places.

  • Very strong west wind yesterday during periods of heavy snowfall created sizable fresh drifts, some well off ridges and in normally sheltered terrain.
  • Watch for and avoid fresh drifts on the lee sides of ridges, cross-loaded along sub-ridges, and in and around terrain features like rock outcroppings, gullies, scoops, trees, and saddles.
  • Beware the growing and overhanging ridge-top cornices, which could break further back than you expect and could trigger wind slab avalanches on drifted slopes below.
  • ***Persistent and/or deep slab avalanches are still possible on drifted slopes in outlying areas with shallow weak snow.

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

In some areas, the heavy new snow may not have bonded very well with a widespread thick rime-crust that was on the snow surface, mainly at upper elevations. Soft slab avalanches and long running loose sluffs are possible on slopes with significant accumulations of new snow..

Avalanche Problem 3
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 10 hours
description

Much cooler temperatures are helping to solidify and stabilize the saturated low elevation snow, but loose wet avalanches involving yesterday's fresh snow will become more likely in some areas as daytime and solar warming heats up and dampens the snow surface... The (mostly manageable) wet avalanche problem will probably only effect sunny slopes, but significant fresh snow could be entrained in sluffs on longer slopes. Some natural activity is possible on sunny slopes likely to be initiated by snow falling of trees or rocks.

weather

TRANQUIL WEATHER IS LARGELY EXPECTED THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...THOUGH WEAK SYSTEMS MAY CLIP FAR NORTHERN UTAH FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AND AGAIN SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY.

general announcements

Please submit snow and avalanche observations from your ventures in the backcountry HERE. You can call us at 801-524-5304 or email HERE, or include #utavy in your Instagram or Tweet us @UAClogan. To report avalanche activity in the Logan Area or to contact the local avalanche forecaster call me, Toby, at 435-757-7578. 

We'll update this advisory throughout the season on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings by about 7:30

This advisory is produced by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. It describes only general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist. 

Backcountry Responsibility Objective from Trent Meisenheimer on Vimeo.