Avalanche forecast

Salt Lake

Issued Jan 10, 2026valid to Jan 11, 2026Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

MODERATE avalanche danger exists on all upper and mid-elevation slopes where you're likely to trigger sluffs (loose dry avalanches) and sensitive soft slabs of wind blown snow. You likely will not get warning signs—cracking and collapsing—before triggering these. Upper and mid-elevation slopes facing W-N-E are still harboring a persistent weak layer that can release slides more than 5 feet deep.

Buckle up for a busy powder day in the backcountry. Remember SAFE TRAVEL PROTOCOLS: ride one at a time, keep an eye on each other, and have a plan. We are just as much a risk to each other as we are to ourselves. Don't let emotions override good decision-making...there will be more days like this.

Avalanche problems

Storm Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Likely
Size
2
Expect to be able to trigger loose, dry snow. These can run potentially run fast and far if you find a pocket of buried near surface facets or the isolated buried SH from before our most recent storm. Sluffs—while small—can knock you off your feet quite easily….be mindful of what you’re skiing over.

You may also be able to trigger soft slab avalanches of wind-drifted snow that may be surprisingly sensitive. These will be a bit harder to identify with the low density of the new snow—just ask the skiers on Mt. Superior yesterday that were able to trigger some of these pockets at sunrise, without any warning cracking or collapsing.

UAC Forecaster Bo Torrey was able to trigger small soft slabs running on small grain facets in Mineral Fork yesterday.
Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
2
The story has two chapters: first, we have weak, old snow at the base of the snowpack on upper and mid-elevation W-N-E facing slopes. We are also seeing layers of weak snow adjacent to the Christmas Eve Rain Crust (CERC). Think they're old news? These layers resulted in a full burial (minus a hand) on Monday on First Cornice, as well as an avalanche large enough to bury a person that ran to the ground in Upper Days on Tuesday (Oingo Boingo). We've added over two feet of snow since.

The issue here is spatial variability. The supportability of the CERC, as well as the development of the facets adjacent to it, vary widely from slope to slope. Steep, rocky, higher W-N-E facing terrain that has been wind-loaded is most suspect. Luckily, there are plenty of soft surfaces on other aspects, too.

Special Announcement

Be mindful of avalanche workers and SAR personnel - IF YOU TRIGGER an avalanche near a ski area, please report it to the ski patrol dispatch or Alta Central (801-742-2033). Rescue personnel don’t want to be subjected to dangerous conditions if the scene is clear. More on this in Backcountry Emergency Protocols

Recent Activity

Sluffs (dry loose avalanches) and wind slabs were the name of the game yesterday in the backcountry.

Long John Silver - Toohey found a natural D2 wind slab on a W-facing slope near 10,800'. It broke 2 feet deep, 175 feet wide, and was large enough to bury a person.

Mt. Superior - A party ascending at sunrise—who was the 3rd or 4th group to cross the slope—triggered a soft wind slab pocket 2 feet deep and 20 feet wide above consequential terrain. While small, these are exactly the slides that can catch you off guard and knock you off your feet in the wrong spot today.

Other observers also noted fast-moving dry new snow, as well as easy to trigger wind slabs on convex rolls. Ski areas in upper LCC reported D2-3's during mitigation.

Read all backcountry observations here.

Snow and Weather

Yesterday was pure Wasatch magic. Single (and sometimes negative) digit F temps kept the close to 2 feet of fresh snow soft and light. Bluebird skies in Big Cottonwood, with Little Cottonwood holding on to some cloud cover into the evening to preserve as many soft southerlies as possible, even into the dusk patrol hours—save some steep slopes. Light NW winds continued overnight, but are nothing to write home about.

This morning, skies are mostly clear here in BCC, with temperatures in the single digits across the Central Wasatch. Today is the type of day that got "Greatest Snow On Earth" on our license plates. Temps will rise just to the low 20sF, with mostly clear skies, sun, light NW wind, and low-density powder.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: Today will be a very busy powder day in the Wasatch backcountry. There will be many people who, like you, also want to take advantage of conditions. We’re all in this together today, so, please, remember: we have a responsibility to one another to follow safe travel protocols. Be aware of who’s above and below you, pick the uptrack with the least exposure, transition in safe zones (not in avalanche run outs), cross slopes one at a time, and keep an eye on your partners. Have a good day, and come back home to, and with, all of your friends and family at the end of it. Hopefully you can have another tomorrow.

Additional Info

Ian McCammon and Kelly McNeil's 2024 paper Six Tips That Could Save Your Life (Recent updates to Safety Messaging) is worth a re-read. It could save your life.

General Announcements

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