Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Salt Lake Area Mountains Issued by Evelyn Lees for Saturday - January 23, 2016 - 6:28am
bottom line

The Avalanche Danger remains CONSIDERABLE on all steep, upper elevation slopes and CONSIDERABLE on mid elevation slopes facing northwest through southeast. Especially avoid slopes with new wind-drifts. Cautious route finding and conservative decision-making are essential today. Numerous close calls and avalanche fatalities in Utah and the western US this week emphasize the dangerous, complex snowpack and avalanche conditions.

Low angle, powder filled terrain choices are abundant in the northern Utah mountains and provide a safer choice.
special announcement

There are still spaces in the Women’s Backcountry 101 avalanche class at Brighton (Feb 4/6) and the Women’s Snowbasin Avalanche Awareness class Feb (18/20). For more info on those classes and other education offerings through out the state, check out our Education Page.

current conditions

Under partly cloudy skies, the southwesterly winds have increased into the 15 to 25 mph range, with gusts across the high peaks reaching 50 mph. 10,000’ temperatures are in the mid 20s. The sunny slopes are crusted this morning, and may not soften much today. Dense powder can be found on the shady slopes, but it is punchy and inverted in places
recent activity

The updated Gobblers accident report was posted last night.

Yesterday, an intentional cornice drop in upper Days Fork released a new snow slide about 2 feet deep and 100 feet wide. The avalanche list has also been updated with more naturals activity from the January 20th slide cycle, and we’ll add more today.
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

One or more layers of faceted weak snow exist in the snowpack on upper elevation slopes of all aspects and on some mid elevation slopes, especially those facing northwest through easterly. While this makes all steep, upper elevation slopes suspect, slopes that have only slid once this winter are prime suspects for avalanching again today, especially those with fresh wind drifts. Some slides may be new snow only from the Wednesday storm, while others could be deeper.

Low elevation terrain: avoid terrain traps such as gullies, creek beds and large road banks where even a small slide could stack up and bury you.

Travel defensively today:

  • check slope angles today - bring your inclinometer or get an app on your phone
  • with faceted weak layers, a slope may not break out on the first person, but rather the 3rd or even 5th and slopes can be triggered from a distance
  • analyze the terrain – if you do get caught in a slide, where will you go – into trees, for a huge ride, off a cliff or into a gully? Is there a safer line?
  • Have someone in your group who will question decisions out loud, and initiate a discussion. Go with the conservative opinions.
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

The new winds slabs will add another problem to our already complex snow pack. With southwesterly to westerly winds, drifts will be most widespread on slopes facing north through east along the upper ridge lines. However, the terrain channels the wind, so watch for cross loading of drifts on other aspects and around features such as gully walls, sub ridges and slope break overs. Avoid these wind drifts on steep slopes.
weather

Clouds and winds will increase this morning, as an approaching storm enters northern Utah today. The southwesterly winds will average in the 15 to 25 mph range, with ridge lines averaging to 40 mph, with gusts to 50 mph. 10,000’ temperatures will cool through out the day, to near 20 by evening. Light snowfall could start late this afternoon, but the heaviest snowfall will be tonight through about noon tomorrow. Winds will turn more northwesterly early Sunday morning, and snow showers will likely linger through the day Sunday before slowly tapering off Sunday night. Snow totals by Sunday night should be in the 6 to 12” range.
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)

EMAIL ADVISORY  If you would like to get the daily advisory by email you will need to subscribe here.​ 

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

Twitter Updates for your mobile phone - DETAILS

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.