Introduction:
Good morning, this is Max Forgensi with the CHECK OUT OUR NEW GROOMING
EQUIPMENT! Check out photos
of a large avalanche in To see past advisories check out the ARCHIVE. To see current conditions go to our WEATHER PAGE. To see photos go to the AVIPHOTOS page. OBSERVATIONS? Please give us your observations from the field HERE. The more observations we get, the
better this forecast can be. |
General Conditions: Stormy weather
continues into today with a SNOW
ADVISORY for the La Sal Mountains. Another 0.20” of water accumulated at
the Geyser Pass Trailhead SNOTEL site last night, giving us another 1.5”-2”,
with more on the way.
Temperatures yesterday reached into the low forties and stayed above
freezing for most of the day until midnight last night. Due to the lack of sun the past
couple days, corn skiing will not be happening today. Your best bet for turns will be on
North aspects above 10,000’.
Observers have reported a very supportable base with 8” of nice powder
skiing. Skate skiing and Nordic
skiing conditions will depend on how much traffic has been up to Geyser
Pass. This coming Friday
we hope to test out all of the grooming equipment, conditions will improve
then! The road to the
trailhead will be snow packed up high and muddy down low. 4WD is recommended, although 2WD
today will probably suffice. Mountain Weather: (At 10,500’) – Today: Periods of snow showers. Some thunder is also possible.
High around 33. Breezy, with a southwest wind between 15 and 20 mph, with
gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow
accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible. |
Weather Station/ Location |
Snow Depth (HS):
in./cm |
New Snow (HN) in./cm |
|
Current Observations:
Wind, 48 hour snow |
Geyser Pass
Trailhead (9,600’): (snotel link) |
46” |
1.5”-2” |
28 |
Snow Advisory for today |
|
85” est. |
|
N/a |
Settled Powder |
|
~ |
0 |
n/a |
12+” from this weeks storm |
N/a |
N/a |
20 degrees |
Winds out of
the Southwest between 20 and 34 mph |
Avalanche Conditions: (Link to the International
Avalanche Danger Scale here)
– Strong winds continue to surface on
the La Sal Mountains from the Southwest and foreboding skies promise the
advent of another storm. Highway
550 in Colorado saw a myriad of avalanche yesterday…new snow/old snow
interface, to the ground and on the dirt layer, although most naturals were
in the new snow/old snow interface.
Considering we do not have a control program in place in the La Sals,
most natural avalanches that will be observed today will be in the form of
loose snow avalanches on steep, above-treeline slopes. This does not rule out the
possibility of some rouge depth hoar laying about waiting to be triggered. The stability tests are giving hard
results, the snow pack structure is decent. The only question for today is if there is any wind slabs
sitting out there storing a lot of potential energy. The BOTTOM LINE for today will be an avalanche danger of CONSIDERABLE on steep, above-treeline slopes on North through East aspects. The rest of the mountain range will
have a avalanche danger of MODERATE. Thanks for checking in! |