Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Salt Lake Area Mountains Issued by Evelyn Lees for Monday - March 31, 2014 - 6:45am
bottom line

The AVALANCHE DANGER is CONSIDERABLE this morning on steep, wind drifted slopes. Human triggered avalanches will be likely. There is the potential for a few deeper slides, taking out 2 storms worth of snow. Out of the wind affected terrain, the avalanche danger is MODERATE for triggering new snow sluffs and soft slabs on steep slopes of all aspects, especially with any daytime heating.

Go To Terrain: safer options exist today on wind sheltered slopes less steep than about 35 degrees.
special announcement

SALE! on all remaining discount lift tickets donated to the Utah Avalanche Center from Snowbasin, the Canyons, Beaver Mountain, Sundance, and Brian Head: The few remaining tickets are being blown out with all proceeds used to pay for avalanche advisories and education. Go here to get your tickets.
current conditions

A spring storm rolled in yesterday afternoon, producing thunder, lightning, graupel and rather even snow amounts, with stations from Ogden to Provo reporting 7 to 13” of new snow. This morning, under mostly cloudy skies, temperatures range from the teens at the upper elevations to the low 20s at the mid elevation. The spoiler was the wind – very strong, southerly winds yesterday were followed by a period of strong northwesterly winds overnight. Currently, winds are from a westerly direction, and decreasing, with most stations averaging less than 15 mph.

recent activity

Sensitive shallow wind drifts were developing yesterday by early afternoon, with 1 person taking a very short ride in Banana Days, Big Cottonwood Canyon. In the past 4 days, there have been at least 14 human triggered slides (only a few of them intentional), with 7 people being caught and carried. These numbers indicate a need to refocus on the snowpack and avalanche potential.
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

With close to 24 hours of moderate to strong winds, wind drifts will be the primary avalanche concern today. Almost any upper elevation slope has the potential to be drifted and cross loaded with wind slabs, but they will be especially widespread on north through east through southeasterly facing slopes. The strong winds also drifted snow down into the mid elevations, too. So identify the rounded, pillowy wind drifts where ever they are, and avoid them on all steep slopes. Stay well back from the drooping, older cornices that are now loaded with new snow.
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

Out of the wind affected terrain, it will be possible to trigger new snow sluffs and soft slabs on steep slopes. The new snow will be most reactive this morning and during any periods of heating today. If the sun comes out at all today, or there are even periods of high, thin clouds, the cold new snow will rapidly become more sensitive as it heats. With slick crusts beneath the new snow, even a small new snow slide could entrain more snow than expected, resulting in a surprisingly deep debris pile.

Avalanche Problem 3
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

With the series of storms alternating with heating, the upper snow pack is starting to get more layered with crusts, graupel and even some facets. Especially on mid to upper elevation northerly through easterly facing slopes, there is an increased potential for deeper avalanches. These slides could take out 2 storms worth of snow, or even involve weak snow beneath a mid-March crust. Identifying which slopes have the weak layering is a problem due to very high snow pack variability over short distances. Arrows pointing to weaker snow layers beneath crusts.
weather

A short lived ridge of high pressure moving across Utah today will bring periods of partial clearing, mixed with bands of high, thin clouds. As the ridge moves east by this afternoon, the clouds will thicken, and a few snow flurries are not out of the question. Temperatures will remain cool today – near freezing at 8,000’, and warming only into the low 20s at 10,000’. The westerly winds will continue to decrease and shift to the south, with most stations averaging in the 5 to 15 mph range by this afternoon.

The next storm series doesn’t look to be quite as potent, but periods of snow between tonight and Thursday morning could bring total accumulations of 5 to 10”.

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 or 800-662-4140, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

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 and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033), Canyons Resort Dispatch (435-615-3322)

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

Sundance Dispatch (801-223-4150)

EMAIL ADVISORY We have switched to a new SLC email advisory system. If you would like to get the daily advisory by email, or if you have been getting the advisory by email since the beginning of the season and wish to continue, 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

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

Wasatch Powderbird Guides Blog/Itinerary for the Day.  

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

Ski Utah mobile snow updates

Discount lift tickets are now available at Backcountry.com - Thanks to Ski Utah and the Utah Resorts.  All proceeds go towards paying for Utah Avalanche Center avalanche and mountain weather advisories.

To those skinning uphill at resorts:  it is your responsibility to know the resort policy on uphill travel.  Some allow uphill travel and have guidelines, some don't. Contact the Ski Patrol at each resort for details. IMPORTANT: Before skinning 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.