Salt Lake Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Brett Kobernik

BOTTOM LINE

Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)


Danger Rose Tutorial

Most slopes this morning have a pockety Level 2 (MODERATE) avalanche danger. There is still a small chance you may find an avalanche to release within the newest snow on slopes of 38 degrees or steeper. As temperatures warm today, the danger will rise and you should avoid steep sunny avalanche paths where the snow is becoming damp and avoid steep gullies and terrain traps on all aspects in the lower elevations.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

Aside from those disrespectful acts, it was a great day in the mountains. The new snow settled nicely with a much less inverted feel then the last few days. Trail breaking was easier and riding conditions good. This morning temperatures are mild in the upper 20s with mid elevation stations in the low 30s. Winds have been calm but just bumped up slightly and are generally from the southeast.

RECENT ACTIVITY

There was very little avalanche activity on Friday even from explosive testing. A large cornice drop in Days Fork did dislodge a small slab that ran ¾ of the slope. More notable were a couple of heat initiated avalanches on the south facing slide paths in Little Cottonwood. These were large enough to cause a person harm if you were below.

THREAT #1
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 8 hours.

Really the only thing I’m concerned with today is the effect of the warming temperatures. It is hard to predict how much today’s heat will effect things. I’m suspecting that not that much will happen after yesterday’s initial warm up but I would avoid being in steep avalanche paths where the snow is becoming damp. This includes steep gullies and terrain traps at the lower elevations on all aspects.

THREAT #2
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

As for all the recent snow, I feel like it is mostly stable. You can still get clean but stubborn shears on the density inversion 10 to 20 inches deep but there is no cracking under foot and things are not reactive to ski cuts.

THREAT #3
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

There was some minor weakness deeper in the pack that did show it’s head during the recent avalanche cycles. After this last cycle that pounded many slopes with class 2 and class 3 avalanches, I noted that only a handful of slides broke into these deeper layers. This tells me these deeper layers are becoming quite stubborn and probably won’t be active again.

MOUNTAIN WEATHER

We’ll have light southerly or south east winds that will increase late today. Temperatures are going to get up to around freezing along the ridges. We’ll have clear skies with a few clouds. A weak storm will move through on Sunday maybe giving us a dusting and a better looking storm for mid week.

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry - especially if you are adjacent to a ski area – please call the following teams to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

Salt Lake – Alta Central (801-742-2033)

Ogden – Snowbasin Patrol Dispatch (801-620-1017)

Provo – Sundance Patrol Dispatch (801-223-4150)

Discount Lift Tickets to benefit the UAC! Ski Utah, Backcountry.com, Alta, Deer Valley, Park City, The Canyons, Wolf Mountain, Snowbasin, Beaver Mountain, Brighton, Sundance, and Solitude have donated a limited number of tickets for sale.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides flight plan.

Dawn Patrol Forecast Hotline, updated by 05:30: 888-999-4019 option 8.

Daily observations are frequently posted by 10 pm each evening.

Subscribe to the daily avalanche advisory e-mail click HERE.

UDOT canyon closures UDOT at (801) 975-4838

You have the opportunity to participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting avalanche and snow observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, or email to uac@utahavalanchecenter.org

Donate to your favorite non-profit – The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center. The UAC depends on contributions from users like you to support our work.

The information in this advisory is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

We will update this forecast tomorrow morning. Thanks for calling.

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 occur.

This advisory provided by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with:

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority and the friends of the La Sal Avalanche Center. See our Sponsors Page for a complete list.