Avalanche forecast

Logan

Issued Mar 12, 2026valid to Mar 13, 2026Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired 6 months ago.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

Highlights

MODERATE: Hard slab avalanches of wind-drifted snow are possible on high northwest through southeast facing slopes, and a hot sun will soften surface crusts and elevate potential for wet avalanches on sunny slopes. Although becoming unlikely, it is possible in outlying rocky terrain for a person to trigger a destructive hard slab avalanche that fails on a persistent weak layer buried two to four feet deep.

Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully.

Avalanche problems

Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
2
Strong winds formed stiff drifts on steep slopes at upper elevations near ridgelines and around terrain features such as gullies, rocks, mid-slope rollovers, and sub-ridges.

Hard wind slabs may allow you to get well out onto them before suddenly releasing.

Wind slabs are often recognizable as rounded pillows of snow that can feel hollow or drum-like underfoot.

Avalanches of wind-drifted snow could step down into the buried January persistent weak layer, producing larger and more dangerous avalanches, several feet deep.
Loose Wet
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Unlikely
Size
2
The hot March sun will soften surface crusts, and loose wet avalanches entraining saturated surface snow will become increasingly possible in steep sunny terrain sheltered from southwest winds...
Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Unlikely
Size
3
A persistent weak layer of faceted snow from January is now buried about 2–4 ft deep on mid- and upper-elevation slopes facing the north half of the compass. While avalanches breaking into this layer are unlikely, any that do occur will be large, destructive, and dangerous.

While unlikely, avalanches failing on buried facets can propagate widely and may be triggered remotely—from the side or below.

Slopes with a shallower overall snowpack are most suspect. Avoid outlying rocky or wind-swept slopes at upper elevations, where snow is generally shallow. Deep hard slab avalanches can be triggered where the slab is thinner.

Smaller avalanches overrunning a slope with poor snow structure could step down to the layer and create a much larger avalanche.

We found good stability in areas where the strengthening sugary, persistent weak layer from January is buried deeply by recent snow. video below

Recent Activity

Find observations in the Logan zone and from across the state HERE.

Snow and Weather

Your best bet for soft snow riding will be in high, sheltered northerly facing terrain, with cooler recent temperatures in the Northern Bear River Range, near and north of the state line. You'll likely find nice, supportable spring-like "corn snow" on lower-angle sunny slopes, where saturated surface snow has now solidly refrozen and will soften during the day. Heightened avalanche conditions exist; people could trigger avalanches on exposed upper-elevation slopes facing northwest through southeast due to the incessant strong winds from the west. As the crusty snow softens in sunny terrain, wet avalanches of saturated surface snow may be possible.

The UAC Card Canyon weather station at 8700 feet reports 32°F and 60 inches of total snow. The Tony Grove Snotel, at 8400 feet, reports 35°F with 71 inches of total snow. At 9700 feet on Logan Peak, winds are blowing from the southwest around 30 mph, with overnight gusts above 50 mph. Strong winds continue to blow from the south-southwest on Paris Peak, at 9500 feet, blowing 30 to 43 mph at this hour, and it's 25°F.

Expect partly sunny skies today, with temperatures at 8500 feet climbing to around 40°F, and incessant strong winds blowing from the west-southwest, with gusts in the 50+ mph range. Clouds will increase tonight, temperatures will drop to around 31°F, and winds will continue to blow from the west. Tomorrow, expect partly sunny skies with warmer temperatures and winds continuing to blow from the west. High temperatures at 8500' will soar to around 43°F. As storm systems pass to the north this weekend, some light snow is likely in the Logan Zone, favoring the Northern Bear River Range. Temperatures in the mountains are expected to rise significantly next week, with 60°F readings possible at upper elevations...

Additional Info

Travel with a partner, and cross or ride slopes steeper than 30 degrees one at a time while the rest of your group watches from a safe spot.
Ensure that everyone in the group has avalanche rescue equipment (a transceiver, probe, and shovel) and knows how to use it.

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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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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

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