Logan

Dangerous avalanche conditions and areas with CONSIDERABLE danger exist on previously drifted upper and mid elevation slopes. People are likely to trigger dangerous avalanches failing on a sugary persistent weak layer near the ground. You'll find safer conditions in lower angled, sheltered, and lower elevation terrain. Avalanches could be triggered remotely, from a distance, or from below.

• Cracking and collapsing indicate unstable snow.
• Evaluate snow carefully, choose your route cautiously, and make conservative decisions.
• Avoid and stay out from under drifted slopes steeper than about 30 degrees.

Sadly, I must report that a 31-year-old male snowboarder from Clinton, Utah was killed in an avalanche in Dutch Draw in the backcountry near Park City. The preliminary accident report is HERE. Utah Avalanche Center staff visited the site yesterday.

• A local rider was caught in a large avalanche and completely buried under thee feet of snow in Steep Hollow Area Friday. Thankfully, he was rescued in time by his riding partners. Read our Initial Accident Report
• A rider reports that his party of sledders remotely triggered a large avalanche in Egan Basin yesterday.
• There were four reported large remotely triggered avalanches in the Northern Bear River Range Friday, triggered by sledders, and luckily from a distance.
• Riders in upper Providence Canyon Wednesday remote triggered a few good sized avalanches from a good distance away in the flats...

Dean Harris sent in a quick video from yesterday's Egan Basin Avalanche.

Here's a quick look from Thursday at the snow and a recent remotely triggered avalanche up in Providence Canyon.

A very wide avalanche was remotely triggered yesterday by riders near Bloomington Lake. It's a good thing that the avalanche happened before anybody was out riding on the slope.

DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS EXIST IN THE BACKCOUNTRY. The snow pack is generally quite shallow in the Logan Zone and we have a serious problem with widespread very weak sugary snow and a dangerous persistent weak layer near the ground on most slopes. Due to the very shallow snow cover and cold mountain temperatures the faceted snow crystals continue to grow, and on many slopes existing weak layers appear to be getting even weaker.

At upper elevations in the central and northern Bear River Range there is a around three feet of snow, which is only enough to cover the rocks on smooth grassy slopes. In the Logan Peak Area, the Southern Bear River Range, the front side (or western slope), and the Wellsville Mountains, the snow is even shallower and access and travel is more difficult.

It will be mostly sunny with 8500' temperatures around 21°F, a southwest breeze, and wind chill values as low as -2°F. High pressure will remain in place through the week. There is a chance for some light snow in the Logan Zone on Wednesday, and looks like a weather pattern shift is quite possible around next weekend.

Check out our new and relevant Blog featuring Paige and Greg discussing Danger Ratings and Persistent Weak Layers....HERE

My tip for avoiding avalanches in the backcountry is to keep your slope angles low. Avoid and stay out from under slopes steeper than about 30 degrees. Get a tool to measure slope angle and practice with it in the backcountry. Watch the video HERE.

Paige shows what we are talking about when we mention faceted snow in our forecasts. Watch the video HERE

Thanks to the generous support of our local resorts, Ski Utah, and Backcountry, discount lift tickets are now available. Support the UAC while you ski at the resorts this season. Tickets are available here.

Visit this website with information about Responsible Winter Recreation by the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation.

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Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche observations....HERE. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clickingHERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

I will update this forecast by around 7:30 tomorrow morning.

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