Avalanche forecast

Presidential Range

Mount Washington Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Soft, wind deposited snow that fell on Saturday resulted in a few reported avalanches. The snow settled quickly and remained unreactive to human triggering on Sunday. Rain falling this morning could add a bit of load and loosen bonds in this snow making the slabs more reactive. A more sensitive wind slab problem could develop later today if enough cold air arrives to deliver upslope snow showers. Wind speed and direction will be favorable for the rapid development of wind slabs though the other key ingredient, snow, is less certain. Older snow on the ground may contribute to wind slab development tonight, even with the minor wetting that is happening now. One hundred mile per hour winds have a history of moving volumes of snow from the alpine, no matter how dense or crusty.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Soft, wind deposited snow that fell on Saturday resulted in a few reported avalanches. The snow settled quickly and remained unreactive to human triggering on Sunday. Rain falling this morning could add a bit of load and loosen bonds in this snow making the slabs more reactive. A more sensitive wind slab problem could develop later today if enough cold air arrives to deliver upslope snow showers. Wind speed and direction will be favorable for the rapid development of wind slabs though the other key ingredient, snow, is less certain. Older snow on the ground may contribute to wind slab development tonight, even with the minor wetting that is happening now. One hundred mile per hour winds have a history of moving volumes of snow from the alpine, no matter how dense or crusty.

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1–2

    Precipitation type will be in flux through the day, not only by elevation but also as an approaching cold front brings colder temperatures. Seems likely that rainfall won’t be enough to trigger truly wet slabs but keep an eye on the rain and warmer temperatures to weaken the snow that was otherwise unreactive yesterday. That snow was soft and boot top in places yesterday. Variable depths or thin snow over the old icy bed surface could be more reactive.

Avalanche Discussion

The southwesterly wind Saturday delivered enough wind blown snow for natural avalanches in Hillman’s Highway, Left Gully  in Tucks and Odell and possibly South Gully in Huntington. There was a suspiciously crown-like feature left of Main Gully in GoS but was small and unconfirmed. Crown thickness and debris indicate these avalanches were up to D2 in size with Left Gully likely a bit larger.

It was interesting to observe behavior in Tucks yesterday where a pair of skiers booted together onto the hangfire in Left Gully, no safe travel precautions or assessments observed. Solo or at least “effectively solo” skiing occurred in GoS and Tucks. Being “effectively solo” was a term coined by some Utah forecasters that applies to situations when groups aren’t coordinated in such a way to respond in the event of an avalanche (pitches too long, low visibility, etc.) or when others are around but no real communication occurs. One potential factor in these cases is also the illusion of safety provided by having others nearby, even though they may not have beacons, shovels or probes or know how to use them effectively. Yesterday appeared to be a turning point and a good reminder that other people remain a significant safety concern.

Regions covered