Alta Ski Area is now closed as they prepare for opening on the 29th. Access to Grizzly Gulch and the Catherine's area via the Summer Road will remain open. The open and closed resorts have different uphill travel policies. C
heck with each resort for the current information.
Terrain in unopened resorts must be treated as backcountry.
The First Annual Statewide Avalanche Awareness Week is December 2-7. We have a week full of fun and educational events planned. Check out the schedule
here.
A good old fashioned cold front crashed through the range yesterday, dropping temperatures into the single digits and delivering 7-10" of 4-5% density snow to the mountains. (Snow-water-equivalents are 0.32-0.47"). Ridgeline anemometers are blowing 25-30mph with gusts to 40 while 11,000' wind speeds are humming at 30-35mph with gusts to 60. The good news is that they'll lose steam as they slowly back to the southwest and south during the day. Current wind chill, however, is -20°F. Bundle up.
We'll see a bit of a break today with partly-becoming-mostly cloudy skies, light southwest winds, and temperatures that may not reach the double digits. Enjoy the breather while you can. A storm spinning off the Oregon coast will be the main event over the next several days, ushering in heavy and heavier snowfall, strong southerly winds, and dangerous avalanche conditions. Up to and over two feet of snow can't be ruled out by early weekend. (Plus there are hints of another system for early next week.) Buckle up.
Bellwether - noun - an indicator or predictor of something.
A backcountry skier triggered a shallow soft slab into the older weak snow 6" deep and 20' wide in upper Hidden Canyon in the Brighton backcountry yesterday. Elevation and aspect were 9900' and northeast facing. I expect more of these - though larger - today.
