Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Ogden Area Mountains Issued by Drew Hardesty for Monday - January 18, 2016 - 7:29am
bottom line

Areas of CONSIDERABLE danger exist in the upper elevation wind drifted terrain. A MODERATE danger exists for mid elevation wind drifted terrain. These issues are more pronounced on steep north to east to south facing slopes and may still be triggered at a distance or break well above you. Wet avalanche activity may be found at the lower elevations. Safer, better options include wind sheltered mid-elevation slopes less steep than 35 degrees.




special announcement

Our Dutch Auction continues: 180 cm La Sportiva Vapor Nano Skis (130/103/120mm -1200g). List price is $1,200. Here's the deal: We are offering these skis for sale to the first person that contacts us with a commitment to purchase. THE PRICE TODAY IS $950.00 AND WILL DROP $50 TOMORROW. The price will drop $50 per day until someone buys the skis. We'll toss in a free UAC t-shirt or trucker hat and handful of Clif Bar product. Contact: friends@utahavalanchcenter.org

Avalanche Workshops for Ice Climbers: Tonight at the Ogden Front climbing gym. See flier below for details.
current conditions

Keep your seat belt buckled: the weather pattern continues to look active through the week...and beyond. Skies are overcast with some light snow falling north of I-80. Winds have backed to the west and southwest and are blowing 20-25mph with gusts to 40. Temps are in the low to mid 20s. You'll find various wind and sun damage in the open, exposed and south facing terrain; respectively; however, we hunted out sheltered low angle terrain below treeline yesterday and were not disappointed. You won't be, either.

recent activity

You might've guessed there'd be avalanche activity yesterday. Most had an easterly component and were heavily wind drifted from Saturday/Saturday night's strong west to northwest winds.

Avalanche control work in the Ogden area mountains included wind drifts triggered up to 12-18" deep in drifted terrain and not limited to upper elevation ridgelines. These last few days have seen backcountry skiers triggering soft wind slabs up to a foot even down to 7400' along the Cutler ridgeline. In the SLC mountains -

  • Avalanche control work produced hard slab avalanches both to the ground and into old, repeater facets in the Cottonwoods and along the Park City ridgeline, respectively.
  • Upper Snake Creek near the Ant Knolls along the Wasatch Crest - a snowmobiler triggered a (guessed at) 2-3' deep and 100' wide (reported) repeater avalanche on a steep ENE slope at 9400'.
  • Rocky Point - an intentional cornice drop triggered a 3-4' deep and 100' wide repeater avalanche at 10,400' east facing.
  • Eagle Run in upper American Fork canyon - a skier remotely triggered a 2' deep and 50' wide pocket on a steep east northeast facing slope at 10,450.
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

Lingering basal weaknesses from the pre-Christmas avalanche cycle and surface facets buried on the 14th comprise this avalanche problem. Stressed by the two feet of storm snow and strong west to northwest winds, these persistent repeaters showed their hand yesterday in upper Snake Creek and Rocky Point. The Eagle's Nest slide may have been last week's weak surface snow or Friday's low density snow - something that would support collapse failure/remote triggering. These repeaters have predominantly been on north to east facing slopes thought not confined to ridgelines and as low as 8500'. These may be more stubborn than yesterday but just as consequential. To enter this terrain, you've got to do the work: pull out the shovel, look at the snow structure, determine the instability and then gauge your risk tolerance. Otherwise, you're rolling the dice.
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

Wind drifts were triggered on a variety of aspects and elevations yesterday. Remember that while the bulk of drifting sits in upper elevation north to east to south facing terrain, stronger winds can channel snow to off aspects well off the ridgeline. Skiers ski cut a 2' deep wind pocket on a southwest facing slope well off the ridgelines yesterday. These may still be sensitive to human weight as they sit on Friday's low density snow and in some cases faceted snow buried on the 14th. Give these smooth rounded drifts a wide berth and take clear note of collapsing and shooting cracks. Remotely triggered avalanches remain possible.

Cornices have been growing leaps and bounds - give the exposed ridgelines wide berth until you know you're not on an overhanging wave of snow. These may break well behind you.

Avalanche Problem 3
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 12 hours
description

Low elevation snow, particularly northerly aspects may be prone to some rain-on-snow events, such as what we may initially see this morning. The southerly aspects suffered some sun damage yesterday, but the northerly sheltered snow at the lower elevations may be more susceptible. Be mindful of your low elevation terrain traps and creek beds at these elevations...
weather

Snowfall should pick up throughout the day and into the evening where we may see 3-6" by tomorrow. Temps will be in the low 20s at 10,000', the upper 20s at 8000'. Winds will be southwesterly blowing 15-20mph, then veering to the west and northwest by afternoon. Other storms on the horizon include Tuesday night into Wednesday and again this weekend. Rapid warming and some clearing for Thursday/Friday. More info on our midday mountain weather forecast, found under on the Menu tab above.

general announcements

Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

To get help in an emergency (to launch a rescue) in the Wasatch, call 911.  Be prepared to give your GPS coordinates or the run name. Dispatchers have a copy of the Wasatch Backcountry Ski map.

Backcountry Emergencies. It outlines your step-by-step method in the event of a winter backcountry incident.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry, but no one is hurt and you do not need assistance, please notify the nearest ski area dispatch to avoid a needless response by rescue teams. Thanks.

Salt Lake and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033), Canyons Resort/PCMR Dispatch (435)615-1911

Snowbasin Resort Dispatch (801-620-1017), Powder Mountain Dispatch (801-745-3772 x 123).

Sundance Dispatch (801-223-4150)

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DAWN PATROL Hotline updated daily by 5-530am - 888-999-4019 option 8.

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UDOT canyon closures:  LINK TO UDOT, or on Twitter, follow @UDOTavy, @CanyonAlerts or @AltaCentral

Utah Avalanche Center mobile app - Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools.

Powderbird Helicopter Skiing - Blog/itinerary for the day

Lost or Found something in the backcountry? - http://nolofo.com/

Ski Utah mobile snow updates

To those skinning uphill at resorts:  it is your responsibility to know the resort policy on uphill travel.  You can see the uphill travel policy for each resort here. IMPORTANT: Before skinning or hiking at a resort under new snow conditions, check in with Ski Patrol.  Resorts can restrict or cut off access if incompatible with control and grooming operations.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you shop from Backcountry.com or REI:  Click this link for Backcountry.com or this link to REI, shop, and they will donate a percent of your purchase price to the UAC.  Both offer free shipping (with some conditions) so this costs you nothing!

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on ebay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your ebay account here and click on ebay gives when you buy or sell.  You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny.

This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done.  This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.