Uintas

A series of warm, wet, windy systems are headed our way. Expect rising avy danger as storminess evolves-

For today, MODERATE avalanche danger is found in mid and upper elevation terrain, especially on steep, wind drifted slopes. Bullseye terrain includes steep leeward slopes above treeline in the windzone, where human triggered avalanches are POSSIBLE. Here's the wildcard- in addition to freshly drifted slopes, I'd continue avoiding steep, rocky terrain where the snowpack is thin and a stiff slab rests on top of weak, sugary, early season snow. This setup may feel strong underneath our feet, but it's an unpredictably dangerous facade that allows us to get well out onto the slope before collapsing it (whumpf) and we knock the legs out from underneath, resulting in a body-bruising slide that breaks deeper and wider than we might expect.

We have some upcoming classes and events that we would be stoked to see you at -- Please reach out with any questions and check out below for more details!

• December 20 Introduction to Avalanche Rescue Course
• January 2-3 Backcountry 101
• January 9-12 Stay & Play Avalanche Course Retreat

See All Courses & Events Here

We are always looking for snow and avalanche observations or just general riding conditions. Reach out to us with questions, concerns, or if you see anything in your travels! Contact us directly through the info below:

• Craig Gordon [email protected] 801-231-2170.
• Andrew Nassetta [email protected] 860-460-8142.

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. This forecast was issued on Friday, December 19th at 0400 AM and expires 24 hours after it was issued. We'll update this information by 07:00 AM tomorrow.

No new avalanche activity to report since the catch and carry earlier in the month. More deets on that close call here. In addition, you can find an abundance of trip reports and observations from across the range and beyond, just click on the button below.

View All Observations Here

Nowcast - Overnight, a band of thickening clouds drifted into the Uinta zone as ridgetop winds blowing 30-50 mph from the southwest, eagerly return from their union shift break at the turn of the new day and get right back to business. From tip to tail, current temperatures hover right around freezing. The snowpack remains thin and boney, but the midweek storm did help to improve riding and turning conditions. Though to be fair... I have set a rather low bar for myself this year :)

Forecast - A swath of Atmospheric River slides into the region later today and that'll deliver a warm, wet, windy storm. Winds blow from the west and southwest, averaging in the 30 mph range along the ridges, gusting into the 60's and 70's near the high peaks. Temperatures climb to near 38 degrees F and dense snow develops around suppertime. A cold front slithers through northern Utah late in the day ushering cooler temperatures and lower density snow. Not a blockbuster storm, but I think we'll stack up 5" of snow with just over .50" H20 for your Saturday morning ride.

Futurecast - A hardly noticeable break in the action is slated for Saturday with another impulse in the queue to round out the weekend.

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Travel Conditions -

Wednesday's storm was a welcome gift, helping to improve spirits and add a little cushion to our travels. However, the snow surface and overall coverage is a variable, mixed bag of both strong and weak snow.

Ted visited the Bald Mountain area yesterday and I was in the Wolf Creek Zone. I'm still crunching the numbers, but if my math is correct... five out of five avalanche forecasters surveyed report a white from far, but far from white snowpack along with a few collapses in rocky slopes where the pack is shallow..

Meanwhile, Andy visited the South Slope on Tuesday.

All the snowpros I knows report a tale of two snowpacks. Old snow near the ground on slopes facing the north half of the compass has grown weak and very sugary, while many sunny slopes are still waiting for the invite to the company-wide Holiday Party.

This fleet can't be beat! Huge thanks to Ski-Doo in partnership with Karl Malone's Plaza Cycle, for arranging our sled, loaner program. This vital state-wide partnership gets sleds into the hands of UAC forecasters, allowing us to see more terrain, gather more snowpack information, and issue more accurate avalanche forecasts. Ultimately, this program helps us save lives!