Avalanche forecast

Salt Lake

Issued Jan 26, 2025valid to Jan 27, 2025Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Pockets of MODERATE avalanche danger exist on all aspects at the upper elevations and on mid-elevation aspects facing west through north and east where it is possible to trigger an old hard slab avalanche or a new shallow soft slab of wind-drifted snow. On northerly and east-facing slopes at the mid and upper elevations, there is a MODERATE danger of triggering an avalanche that fails 2-4 feet deep in a persistent weak layer.

As the sun warms the southerly-facing terrain be on the lookout for shallow wet-loose avalanches.

Avalanche problems

Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
2
Strong wind from the past week has created hard slabs of wind-drifted snow in many areas. These slabs formed over our faceted snow surface (see photo below). You can find these wind slabs well off ridgelines and on all aspects, but more commonly on north through east slopes. Be on the lookout for wind slabs today, and remember, hard wind slabs allow you to get well out onto a slope before fracturing, often even above you.

Yesterday, the wind blew from the southeast at speeds of 15-20 mph for roughly 16 hours. Be on the lookout for new shallow soft slabs of wind-drifted snow. These drifts could be in areas we aren't used to because the southeast wind component is odd for us.

Photo: Grainger / Anderson showing the wind slab over weak faceted snow.
Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Unlikely
Size
3
The problem we have this winter is we aren't getting consistent snowfall. Days and days of cold clear weather back in November and December caused our base to become weak and faceted. Over Christmas, we loaded this weak layer (storm snow), and two people tragically died from this setup. As the snow settled and adjusted, this weak layer became more and more used to the weight above, and therefore, it's becoming harder and harder to trigger. The last avalanche we saw on this layer was January 16th.

For me, there is too much faceted snow in the snowpack to trust it. I do not like faceted snow. It's unpredictable and scary. I am going to remain patient and continue to avoid steep slopes facing the north side of the compass. If you choose to ride that terrain, set yourself up for success and consider the consequences (like trees). Travel one at a time. Avoid steep, shallow, rocky terrain where it is more likely to trigger a deeper slab avalanche 2-4 feet deep.

Special Announcement

Urgent battery replacement required for anyone who received batteries from one of our participating "Batteries for Beacons" shops. Please review the "Batteries for Beacons" replacement notice on our blog. Batteries distributed through our "Batteries for Beacons" program this year have shown to be inadequate length.

Join the UAC at Deer Valley on January 30th for the 2nd Annual Blizzard Ball Gala. Bruce Tremper, the Former Director of the Utah Avalanche Center, will deliver the keynote address.

Recent Activity

A small avalanche was reported from Upper Big/Little Cottonwood on Tuscarora. This was a shallow new snow avalanche 3 inches deep by 50 feet wide. They noted that they were impressed by how easily it propagated, leading them to think some faceted snow might be involved.

Observations and Avalanches

Snow and Weather

Under partly cloudy skies, mountain temperatures range from 8-16 °F. The wind has calmed down and hardly blows across the upper elevations. In the past 24 hours, the mountains picked up roughly 1 to 5.5 inches of new snow with 0.05 to 0.33 inches of snow-water equivalence.

Today, we will see partly cloudy skies with plenty of sunshine at times. Mountain temperatures will climb into the upper 20s °F, and the wind should remain from the south and blow 5-10 mph across the upper elevations. I imagine the new snow improved the riding conditions and it should be a lovely day to be in the mountains.

Additional Info

Be sure to read Nikki's Week in Review as a regular part of your backcountry planning.

General Announcements

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This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. 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.

Observations and Avalanches

Backcountry Emergency Procedures