Avalanche forecast

Logan

Utah Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline
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Highlights

Dangerous avalanche conditions exist in the backcountry at all elevations. Heavy new snow and extensive drifting overloaded slopes with poor snow structure. There is HIGH danger on slopes where strong winds drifted snow and formed thick slabs. People are likely to trigger dangerous avalanches failing on a widespread buried persistent weak layer. Natural avalanches are also possible and some could be large, long running, and destructive. Dangerous avalanches could be triggered remotely, from a distance, or below! Avoid travel in backcountry avalanche terrain and run-out zones. Stay off and out from under drifted slopes steeper than 30°.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    2

    We've found buried layers of sugary snow at all elevations and on slopes facing every direction. In many areas the basal layers of the snowpack are becoming loose and sugary. It's getting pretty easy to get the sled stuck if you sink and spin your track into the bottomless sugary snow. In many areas at all elevations I found droppy conditions, sinking into weak sugary snow even with wide skis on, and I could easily plunge my ski pole to the ground in most places.

    • Red Flags indicating a persistent weak layer instability will include audible collapses or wumpfs and shooting cracks. Sometimes no red flags are apparent and you have to dig down into the snow to find the sugary weak layer.
    • Slab avalanches failing on a buried persistent weak layer could be remotely triggered from a distance, hopefully not from below.

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    3

    Sustained strong south winds over the weekend picked of vast quantities of Friday's nice light powder in lower angled terrain and meadows and drifted tons of snow into downwind deposition areas and avalanche starting zones.. The deep drifts added significant weight and hardness to a developing slab of windblown snow on slopes with buried persitent weak layers.

    People should stay off of and out from under all drifted slopes in the backcountry steeper than about 30°.

Avalanche Warning

What: Very dangerous avalanche conditions exist and the avalanche danger is HIGH

When: From 6am MST Monday morning to 6am MST Tuesday

Where: For the Wasatch Mountains north of I-80 and the Bear River Range.

Impacts: Very strong south winds and heavy snowfall have overloaded the snowpack creating unstable conditions. Avalanches are likely even at low elevations and on small slopes. Stay off of and out from under slopes steeper than 30 degrees.

Warning Times: Monday, December 12, 2022 - 6:00 am to Tuesday, December 13, 2022 - 6:00 am

Recent Activity

Saturday there was a skier-triggered avalanche reported from Providence Canyon. This avalanche was unintentionally triggered on a North aspect, at 8700'. It failed as a soft slab sitting on atop facets 2.5' deep. It broke 100' wide and ran 500' in distance. The skier was alerted via radio and able to safely traverse off the avalanche.

Find full observation HERE.

***See our updated list of observed avalanches from across Utah HERE

Snow and Weather

Heavy snow and drifting overloaded many slopes plagued by buried weak layers and poor snow structure. All backcountry observations from yesterday included reports of audible collapsing or "wumpfs" and some cracking. These red flags indicate unstable snow and real potential for dangerous slab avalanches failing on a buried persistent weak layer. I found very poor snow structure on many slopes and sugary buried persistent weak layers at all elevations in the backcountry around Beaver yesterday..

The National Weather Service has continued a Winter Storm Warning for the Logan Zone through Tuesday at 5:00 pm. A significant winter storm will continue to impact the area through at least Tuesday, with the potential for lingering snow into Wednesday.

Strong south-to-southwesterly winds have moderated a bit, but are still plenty strong enough to drift snow as it accumulates.. Looks like about 11 inches of new snow at the 8400' TGLU1 Snotel in the Central Bear River Range so far from the storm, with around four feet of total snow on the ground. Temperatures at 8500' are around 20° F this morning but will drop into the lower teens this afternoon.

Additional Info

Remember, when you leave the ski area boundary, Beaver Mt or Cherry Peak, you are entering the backcountry, and you could trigger dangerous avalanches....

Take the all-new online avalanche courses the UAC built for Know Before You Go or take other online courses listed on the KBYG website (Develop skills -> Online Learning).

Get your avalanche rescue gear ready for winter.

  • Put fresh batteries in your transceiver and update the firmware.
  • Inspect your shovel and probe.
  • Get your airbag backpack ready by possibly doing a test deployment and update the firmware if it is an electric version.
  • Practice Companion Rescue with your backcountry partners.

General Announcements

Please submit your observations from the backcountry HERE.

For a list of avalanche classes from the Utah Avalanche Center go HERE

For information on where you can ride your sled or snowbike, check out this map of the winter travel plan for the Tony Grove and Franklin Basin Areas HERE.

The Tony Grove Road and other forest roads in the Logan Ranger District are not maintained for wheeled vehicles in the winter.

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.

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