Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center

US Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest

Introduction: Good Morning! This is Max Forgensi with the USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather advisory. Today is Saturday, February 21st, 2004 at 7:45am.

Click here for recent photos. Click here for Snowpits. You can always email us observations as well by clicking here, or sending a message to estevens@fs.fed.us or mforgensi@fs.fed.us .

General Conditions:

What is that cloud doing up in the mountains? Is it going to snow? We hope it does! Maybe this time we will get some precipitation. Currently in Moab it is 35 degrees out under mostly cloudy skies. Up at the Geyser Pass Trailhead it is 27 degrees out with a 35” base at the SNOTEL site. There is still over five feet of snow on the ground in Gold Basin. Up on Pre-Laurel Peak it is 14 degrees out with a south wind blowing at 14 mph, gusting to 25. The road to the trailheads are plowed and a bit on the icy side.

Mountain Weather:

A low pressure system is over the Southwest corner of the state, giving us our southerly winds. The forecast calls for some weak orographics to occur, and this is really going to favor the La Sals and the amount of snow that is going to fall.

Today: Cloudy. Snow showers expected. 2-4” of accumulation. High in the 30’s. Southeast winds at 10-15 mph.

Tonight: Snow. 2-4” additional expected. Lows 10-15. Winds out of the south at 10-15 mph.

Sunday: Partly cloudy with a fair chance of some additional accumulations. Up to 2” additional expected. High 25-35. South winds 10-15 mph.

Avalanche Conditions:

Has everyone been digging their snow pits lately? What is happening out there? We are currently in a wait and see mode and I hope that a bunch of you used the past seven days of great weather to climb some peaks and get some good skiing in. For the next few days, it is going to be storming out in the mountains and our avalanche danger will probably rise.

I am going to rate the backcountry danger for today at MODERATE. My main concern is with hard wind slabs above tree line. These slabs could present hollow sounds, meaning a cohesive layer is present over a weak layer…a recipe for an avalanche. Be weary of slopes with these conditions. Remember that a MODERATE danger rating means that human triggered avalanches are still possible.

Nordic and Skate Skiing:

Yesterday I put on the Nordic skiis and had a great time with an extra blue/violet mix. I am not a great waxer, but this seemed to work for me. The lack of any significant snow helped my kick and glide.