Avalanche forecast

Uintas

Utah Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The walls aren't caving in, but avy danger remains tricky in the wind zone-

While not widespread, today you'll find pockets of CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger, particularly on steep, rocky, upper elevation, leeward slopes. Human triggered avalanches are LIKELY on drifted slopes in the wind zone above treeline. Terrain facing the north half of the compass, especially steep slopes with an easterly component to its aspect have the potential to produce avalanches that'll pack a punch and throw a curve ball at your day. MODERATE avalanche danger is found near treeline and human triggered avalanches are POSSIBLE on steep slopes with recent deposits of wind drifted snow.

Looking for an exit strategy? Well, you came to the right place! LOW avalanche danger exists on lower elevation terrain around the dial, where you can have a blast and score deep, cold, surfy snow along with predictable avalanche danger, particularly in wind sheltered terrain with no overhead hazard.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    3

    Weekend wind (blowing left to right in the image above) had no problem stripping snow from the windward side of the ridge and depositing it on the leeward side. I found mid elevation corni super reactive to my additional weight and also a solid indicator to the predominate wind direction. Most importantly, this illustrates where I'm gonna find both new and older drifts reactive to my additional weight.

    Most of our recent wind drifts have settled, become comfortable in their own skin, and aren't gonna be nearly as touchy as in the past few days... and that's good news. However, it's not full on green light conditions and you don't wanna trip over yourself running the yellow light, just to get t-boned at the intersection, especially in the wind zone where this weekends slabs are now camouflaged with a few inches of fresh snow. While not quite as widespread as in recent days, both old and newer drifts react to our additional weight none-the-less, and once triggered, they're gonna pack a dangerous punch.

    So, what's the strategy to manage the problem? Well... rather than blindly center-punching a big objective with no beta, gather as much information as you can about the snowpack. Tweak small test slopes similar in aspect, elevation, and slope angle to the kinda terrain you plan on riding and see how they're reacting. In addition, have an exit plan in place in case things go sideways and discuss that with your crew before considering big terrain. Most important.... the riding is so good in wind sheltered terrain, remember you can have a blast on wind sheltered slopes and not even have to pull on the avalanche dragons trail today.

Special Announcement

Thank you to everyone who donated to our Spring Campaign. We appreciate your support and look forward to creating new tools to help you stay safe in the backcountry.

Also... I am in the process of finalizing a report regarding the March 9th avalanche fatality in the Uinta's. Thank you for your patience... we will publish the final report in coming days.

Recent Activity

On Saturday night, a large chunk of cornice crashes onto the slope below, producing this sizeable pocket, breaking a couple feet deep and nearly 100' wide on a steep, northeast facing slope in Upper Weber Canyon.

Plenty of avy activity to peruse if ya wanna geek out. Click HERE to track this years slide activity throughout the range.

Snow and Weather

Nowcast- A band of moisture slides in from the north early this morning, but neither Great Salt Lake, Rockport, or Trial Lake do much to help to boost overnight snow totals which register just an inch or two of low density, ultra-fluff. Along with the snow, a blast of cold air delivers crisp temperatures in the single digits near the trailheads and negative territory along the high ridges where southwesterly winds, blowing just 10-15 mph, create toe-numbing windchill to -25 degrees. And then there's the riding conditions... with a record deep, robust, go-anywhere base, riding and turning conditions are all time.

Forecast- Look for scattered snow showers early this morning, with clearing skies on tap by about midmorning. Temperatures crack into the mid teens and southwest winds remain light, blowing 10-20 mph along the high ridges. Overnight lows crater into negative territory.

Futurecast- A break in the action continues through Tuesday, but the early signs of a robust storm are on on the doorstep as winds begin cranking by late in the day. A solid slug of snow, water, and wind slides into the state by Wednesday morning and camps out through the second half of the week.

Yeah, it's that deep! Avy-savvy forecaster, educator extraordinaire, but most importantly... amazing human and trusted colleague Andrew Nassetta, displays a perma-grin from a recent over-the-hood, over-the-head, close encounter on a recent bottomless day. Ka-Pow!

Detailed trip reports and recent obs are found HERE.

Additional Info

Weather stations-

And... rime events from January's atmospheric rivers severely crippled the Uinta weather station network. I'm working to get it back up and running, but a few stations are found HERE (click weather stations, and then on the Western Uinta tab)

Last week I visited our Currant Creek Snow site and of course... it was buried! I'm still trouble shooting comms and working to get everything back online.

Observations-

Your observations are important, so please let me know what you're seeing... click HERE and contribute to this amazing community-based program

General Announcements

Issued at 03:27 on Monday March 27th this forecast expires 24 hours after the date and time posted, but will be updated by 07:00 Tuesday March 28th 2023.

Before it gets too crazy, now is the time to book an avalanche awareness presentation for your group, club, or posse. You can reach Craig directly at 801-231-2170 or [email protected].

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.

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