Moab

Most terrain has generally LOW danger. Small avalanches on isolated terrain features are possible. This time of year small avalanches can take you for a rough and rocky ride given our shallow early-season snowpack.

Conditions remain very thin, and rocks, stumps, and logs lurk below the surface everywhere. Exercise extreme caution getting around.

Geyser Pass Road Conditions: The road has been plowed, but the surface is snowpacked and slick. All wheel drive and good tires are recommended.

Grooming: The Gold Basin Trail has been groomed. This is the best thing going for skiing right now. Thanks Matt!

Friday, January 30 - Saturday, January 31 - Moab Backcountry 101 Class - Our annual local backcountry avalanche class. Click here for information and registration. Moab and Monticello locals can use the discount code MOAB-LOCAL for a 10% discount.

No recent activity has been observed. Click here for the complete avalanche database.

24 Hour Snow: 0" 72 Hour Snow: 0" Season Total Snow: 21" Depth at Gold Basin: 14"

Winds on Pre-Laurel Peak: SW 20-25 G 30 Temp: 34° F

Weather

All activity continues to remain well to the north of us as another warm and wet system homes in on the mountains of northern Utah and Colorado. For our area we'll continue to see well above normal temperatures, increasing clouds, and blustery southwest winds. Continued unsettled weather to the north will keep us under similar conditions with ever increasing temperatures over the next few days. A Christmas carrot is being dangled.

General Conditions

I basically did a driving tour around the range yesterday and got the truck into places I had no business being this time of year including Warner and Oowah Lakes. Most south aspects are bare at this point. In gullies and terrain features that hold snow, the surface ranges from firm to crusted. On northerly aspects, the snow line creeps down to about 8000 feet where about six inches of snow can be found. Above the Geyser Pass winter trailhead, 12-24 inches of snow can be found on northerly aspects but it is faceting through. Above tree line, many northerly aspects have been blasted down to the rocks. It's not a pretty picture out there. The good news is, we haven't seen any rain on snow.

For the very intrepid, decent turning is being reported on firm south aspects when they soften up. Dave also found good skiing in re-crystallized powder (aka faceted snow) on a northerly aspect near tree line but with the thin cover, the type of terrain where this is available is extremely limited. Dave also got over to the La Sal Pass area earlier this week. Read his report and all other observations here.

Gold Basin skyline as seen from the Warner Lake road. Mount Tukuhnikivatz on right.

Snowpack and Weather Data

NEW! Gold Basin webcam storm stake

Gold Basin Storm Stake (10,000')

Gold Basin SNOTEL site (10,000')

SNOTEL site near Geyser Pass Winter Trailhead (9600')

Wind Station on Pre-Laurel Peak (11,400')

NWS forecast for the La Sal Mountains.

It's never too early to start thinking about avalanches. Here are a few things to consider doing:

• Learn online. We have over 5 hours of free online learning at the Know Before You Go website
• Check out the upcoming in-person Know Before You Go events HERE
• Sign up for an on-snow class
• Check out the UAC's education progression HERE
• Get your avalanche rescue gear ready for winter. Put fresh batteries in your transceiver and update the firmware. Inspect your shovel and probe. Get your airbag backpack ready by possibly doing a test deployment and updating the firmware if it is an electric version or getting your canister refilled if it's not electronic.

This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.