Avalanche forecast

Moab

Utah Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE today on any steep, wind drifted slope, and human triggered avalanches are likely in these areas. In addition to problems within the most recent snow, deep and dangerous avalanches failing on a buried persistent weak layer are also likely. Backcountry travelers today need to have excellent route finding skills. Stick to low angle, wind sheltered terrain and meadows.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    3

    Heavy snowfall, combined with strong winds, have created widespread areas of unstable, wind drifted snow. Wind slabs will be stiff, and maybe a bit stubborn today, but when they break, they could fail 2' deep or more. Due to the intensity of the winds, and high quantity of snow available for transport, drifting will be possible on all aspects. Avoid any steep slope that shows signs of recent wind loading. Expect to find recent drifts on the lee sides of ridge crests and terrain features such as gully walls, sub-ridges, and rock outcroppings. Fresh drifts are recognizable by their smooth rounded, pillowy appearance, and cracking in the snow surface is a sign of an unstable drift or wind slab.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    4

    New and wind drifted snow continues to dangerously overload buried persistent weak layers in the snowpack. Last week saw a fairly widespread cycle with avalanches failing 2'-4' deep on average, with at least one slope breaking up to 7' deep. Slopes that haven't run are primed and ready, and we could see repeaters on slopes that have already avalanched. Though it has primarily been a problem on northerly facing slopes, weak, sugary layers are present on all sides of the compass, and we are now getting enough of a load to stress them. Bottom line is that today is a good day to dial back your slope angle on all aspects.

Special Announcement

Grand Count plowed yesterday.

We are sorry to report that a skier was buried and killed in a large avalanche around 5 pm Friday by Electric Lake, on the Manti/Skyline Plateau. Our sincere condolences go out to the victim's family and friends. Here is the accident report.

We will be offering a Backcountry 101 avalanche course on Feb 8, 9. It's a great way to up your avalanche knowledge with both classroom, and hands on field instruction. Click here for more details and to register. Much thanks to Moab Gear Trader for sponsoring this course! Please visit them for all of your winter backcountry needs.

Recent Activity

It's been an active week for avalanche natural avalanche activity and numerous slides have been reported throughout the range. I'm working on a compiling a list, but a trip into Gold Basin revealed a widespread cycle with avalanches breaking 3' deep on W-N-E aspects. Talking Mountain Cirque was particularly affected. A wind drifted slope broke out up to 7' deep, and the floor of the entire basin was covered in debris. And an infrequently running slide path ran full track, depositing debris into a stand of mature trees.

Snow and Weather

Monday night's over performing storm delivered up to 16" of new snow at 1.3" of water weight, and that's great news for our snowpack that is now at 116% of normal. The bad news is that the storm came in with wind, lots of it. First from the SW and then shifting to NW, winds blew a steady 20-30 mph with gusts into the 40's and 50's. They continued to blow most of the day yesterday tapering off in the afternoon. I don't have current data this morning but 700 mb (10,000') winds over the area are at 20 mph from the NW. Today look for increasing clouds as a storm system moves through to the north. 10,000' temps will be in the high teens, but continued light to moderate, NW winds will create wind chill values well below zero.

I don't have any reports from the backcountry yesterday, but I would expect to find deep, stiff, wind drifted snow. Trail breaking will be arduous and sleds will become easily stuck. I'll be headed up for some of the fun here in a little bit, and will let you know what I find.

Base depth in Gold Basin: 64"

New snow totals in Gold Basin (10,000')

Snow totals at the Geyser Pass Trailhead (9600')

Wind, temperature, and humidity on Pre Laurel Peak (11,700')

National Weather Service point forecast.

General Announcements

Your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche observations HERE. You can also call me at 801-647-8896, or send me an email: [email protected].

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This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

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