Boletín de aludes

Uintas

Utah Avalanche Center
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Peligro de aludes

  • Alta montaña
  • Límite del bosque
  • Bajo el límite del bosque
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Desactualizado: este boletín caducó 6 months ago. Estás viendo condiciones pasadas, no el boletín vigente.

Lo esencial

CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger exists above treeline in the windzone on northerly facing slopes where human-triggered wind-drifted avalanches are LIKELY. In addition, at mid and upper elevations a MODERATE danger exists,where it's POSSIBLE as a rider to remotely trigger an avalanche failing 1-2 feet deep into faceted snow.

As the weather ramps up ahead of the storm I'm steering clear of alpine terrain and the windzone and setting my sights on protected, mid-elevation terrain free of any overhead hazard.

Problemas de aludes

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Likely
    Tamaño
    1

    On Long Peak, small wind-slabs formed and were failing naturally during spikes in the strong southwest winds yesterday.

    36 hours of moderate to strong winds gusting into the 50's formed fresh, and reactive drifts above treeline on aspects facing northwest through east. On average, today's drifts will be up to a foot deep and sensitive to our additional weight as a rider. Fortunately, right now they are easy to look for and avoid. Keep your eyes peeled for textured and pillowed snow on the leeward sides of ridges, adjacent to windward slopes that are rocky and scoured.

    This problem lives in exposed terrain, above treeline, in the windzone. Turn your rig towards protected mid-elevation slopes and you will be rewarded with better riding and less risk of triggering an avalanche. Remember, any slide triggered today can step down into buried weak layers in the snowpack and produce a larger slide than we bargained for.Above, is a great example of a slope I am avoiding today. Adjacent to a windward, westerly facing slope, this steep and rocky east face is a textbook example of windloaded terrain -- Textured, pillowed and rounded snow on the leeward side of a ridge.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Possible
    Tamaño
    2

    A simplified look at the current structure, and how last weeks storm has protected and preserved the near surface facets from the January dry-spell (via K. Cheston).

    A persistent weak layer of near surface facets that formed over the long stretch of dry, January weather is now protected and preserved beneath our most recent storm from mid-week. On mid and upper elevation slopes with a northerly component, this weak layer is buried anywhere between 1-2' beneath the surface, is reactive to our additional weight as a rider, and can be triggered remotely, or from a distance.

    I am avoiding steep and wind-drifted slopes today on northwest through east aspects, especially in rocky and thin areas that could be trigger points where the snowpack is more susceptible to our weight. I noticed lots of red flags yesterday, so be on the lookout for cracking and listen for collapsing as your traveling today -- These are obvious clues of this avalanche dragon.Remember, plenty of weak snow is buried and protected beneath the surface, but terrain out of the windzone lacks the final ingredient needed to create a slab avalanche -- A slab!

    Don't forget, you can always avoid this avalanche problem all together by riding slopes less than 30° without any steep terrain above or adjacent to you.

    Yesterday, Michael H was in the Washington Lake area at upper elevations and had a fantastic observation and Extended Column Test (ECTP6) highlighting the January Dry-Spell facets, how sensitive they are, and the house of cards that we are about to stack some serious snow on top of (via M. Holbrook).

Recent Activity

Yesterday, small, natural, wind-drifted avalanches were observed in the alpine on sustained steep and rocky terrain.

Above, a small avalanche on an east facing slope at 11,000' stacked up a decent pile of debris below the runout of the colouir (via. K.Cheston).

View All Avalanches & Observations Here

Snow and Weather

Nowcast - Partly sunny skies kick off the day, with valley temperatures in the 20's°F and mountain temperatures in the teens. Winds are blowing steady, averaging 25 MPH from the southwest and have done so over the past 24 hours. With help from gusts into the 40's and 50's, winchill brings temperatures down into the single digits, giving things a bite at upper elevations.

Forecast - Increasing clouds and strengthening winds will be the theme today ahead of the incoming storm systems. Temepratures stay mild, in the 20's°F for the majority of the day with an expected high of 32°F. Winds back to the south mid-day, but veer to southwest and continue increasing through tonight. Expect wind speeds of 30-40 MPH near the highest ridgelines, gusting into and above the 50 MPH mark later this afternoon. By supper time, we should start to see the first few flakes of the storm fly.

Futurecast - A flow of significant winter weather is set to hit the region this evening and carry on through Thursday. The first impulse hits the range tonight from the southwest, and slowly ramps up heading into tomorrow. Depending upon what Kool-Aid you prefer to drink, we are looking at 1.25-2.00" of SWE with up to 24" of snow stacking up by later this week -- Our most significant storm of the season.

Check out the Uinta Weather Network here!

Travel Conditions - The Uinta's got a decent refresh earlier this week after about a month without significant snowfall. At lower elevation trailheads, especially on solar aspects, the vibe feels late spring, but turn the corner towards polar slopes, gain some elevation and things quickly turn to winter. The snowpack, in general ranges from 1-4' deep, and is mostly right side up in protected, sheltered terrain providing quality travel and riding. At upper elevations in the windzone, this weeks storm snow is resting on a variety of surfaces from old drifts, to rocks, to faceted snow, creating a tricky set-up when traveling in the high-country. Warm temperatures over the past few days and strong solar input have turned most sunny slopes crusty, while cold, shady slopes continue to hold and protect dry powder for the taking. A blustery, grey-bird day in the Mirror Lake Corridor was paired with settled snow and decent docking condtions on the north half of the compass above 9,000'.Until you get into mid-elevation terrain on the polars and above, you may be thinking you brought the wrong rig and the tracked vehicle was a poor choice. Stand-by, and stay tuned -- Things will look different soon!

Additional Info

Join the UAC for the first "Stay and Play Avalanche Course" at Bear River Lodge in the Uintas, March 19th-22nd. This course is designed for snowmobilers by snowmobilers, where you will learn avalanche rescue, riding skills, and how to survive in the backcountry. Come enjoy all the luxury offerings at Bear River Lodge and improve your skills along the way.

Our Avalanche Rescue Training Park is set-up and located at the top of Wolf Creek Pass, SR-35, and is waiting for you to come take it for a spin! Open up the control unit, flip a few switches, and dial in your avalanche rescue skills with this roadside attraction!

General Announcements

We have some upcoming classes and events that we'd be stoked to see you at -- Please reach out with any questions and check out below for more details!

See All Courses & Events Here

We are always looking for snow and avalanche observations or just general riding conditions. Reach out to us with questions, concerns, or if you see anything in your travels! Contact us directly through the info below:

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. This forecast was issued on Monday, February 16th at 0500 and expires 24 hours after it was issued. We'll update this information by 07:00 AM tomorrow

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