Avalanche forecast

Ogden

Issued Feb 7, 2021valid to Feb 8, 2021Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Areas of HIGH DANGER exist in steep upper elevation terrain. This danger is most pronounced on north through southeast facing slopes. A CONSIDERABLE danger exists at the mid-elevations. Avalanches may be up to 5' deep and over several-hundred feet wide. Remember that avalanches can be triggered from a distance. Choosing low angle terrain with no overhead hazard is critical today.

FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN AN AVALANCHE IN THE WASATCH RANGE YESTERDAY.

Special Note: If you're headed out of bounds at a ski area, you may be stepping into HIGH avalanche danger.

Avalanche problems

Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Likely
Size
3
Dangerous avalanches 2-5'+ deep can be triggered today on steep slopes at the mid and upper elevations. These will be most pronounced on steep northwest to east facing slopes and can still break bones and snap trees.

A few words of caution:

Signs of instability may not be present: you may or may not see or experience shooting cracks or audible whumphing.

Tracks on the slope offer zero signs of stability. Avalanches will take out multiple existing tracks.

You can trigger avalanches from a distance or below.

Any fresh wind slab or new snow avalanche may step down into this older layering of weak snow.
Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
2
Strong winds will continue to move snow into wind drifts that may be increasingly stubborn and less reactive as the day wears on. The wind drifts may be well off the ridgelines, cross-loaded across the landscape, and may release on not the first but perhaps second or third rider across the slope. Cracking and collapsing may or may not be evident.

Special Announcement

We are filled with grief to report four avalanche fatalities yesterday in the Wilson Glade of upper Mill Creek Canyon in the Central Wasatch. The avalanche involved two separate parties. Our deepest condolences go out to the friends and families involved. Our deepest gratitude to the many members of SL County SAR, Wasatch Backcountry Rescue, and Utah Dept of Public Safety. The avalanche path is on north facing terrain at 9800'. The avalanche is estimated to be 2-3' deep and at least 250' wide. Our preliminary report will be continually updated over the next several days.

PLEASE AVOID THIS TERRAIN TODAY AND MONDAY TO ENSURE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE CONTINUING OPERATIONS.

photo courtesy of Wasatch Backcountry Rescue

This avalanche brings us to six avalanche fatalities in Utah for the 2020/2021 winter.

Since February 1, there have been thirteen avalanche fatalities in the US. Yesterday's four fatalities marks the largest avalanche accident in Utah since the February 1992 tragedy that killed four in the La Sal mountain range east of Moab.

Recent Activity

Friday/Friday night's storm led to an extensive and widespread natural avalanche cycle in the Salt Lake and Provo area mountains. (1st photo - large natural avalanche in Cardiac Bowl of Cardiff Fork) Many large natural and destructive avalanches ran naturally with many avalanches reportedly breaking 5-7' deep with some propagating over 1000' wide. Some of these snapped trees and include downed timber in debris piles. Most of the avalanches were 2-3' deep and 250' wide. Most of these avalanches ran on steep northwest to east facing slopes above about 9000'.

In the Ogden area mountains, avalanche teams triggered a couple large avalanches in the upper elevations with explosives. Backcountry riders near Monte Cristo noted continued collapsing of wind drifts and unstable snow.

pc: Mountain Guide and avalanche educator Colby Stetson

The Wilson Glade fatalities were not the only avalanche involvements yesterday.

In upper Mary Ellen drainage of upper American Fork, a snowmobiler was caught, carried, and almost fully buried (photo below) in a large avalanche on a steep east-northeast facing slope at 10,000'.
In the upper Lackawaxen area off the backside of Clayton Peak in the Brighton periphery, a skier was caught and carried in an avalanche, temporarily losing gear but was ok.

In the Uintas near Moffit Peak yesterday, snowmobilers experienced a very close call with a very large avalanche. Terrifying video HERE, courtesy of backcountry_sledders.

Get caught up by reading our Week in Review for this past week (covers Friday Jan 29 through Thursday February 4) where we highlight significant avalanche, snow, and weather events.

Snow and Weather

Skies are clear.

Mountain temperatures are in the upper teens to low 20s.

West to northwest winds remain unabated and continue with hourly averages of 15-20mph with gusts to 30. The highest elevations along the Ogden skyline have been gusting into the 60s and 70s.

We'll have sunny skies, continued moderate to strong west northwest winds and mountain temperatures warming to the mid-20s up high, the mid-30s down low.

A high amplitude ridge of high pressure to the west will keep us under a cool and breezy northwest flow through Tuesday when a weak system undercuts the ridge and ripples through from the west. Some of the weather models hint at another series of storms arriving late in the week and beyond.

Additional Info

Keep an eye on the rapid warming and direct sun and how that is affecting snow stability on the sunny aspects today. Wet avalanches may be possible with daytime heating.

General Announcements

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

CLICK HERE FOR MORE GENERAL INFO AND FAQ

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