The overall avalanche danger is rated at CONSIDERABLE today.
Human-triggered avalanches are likely on the Manti Skyline.
Avalanches can be triggered from a distance while you are in low angle or flat terrain.
The only way to stay safe is to avoid being on steep slopes and make sure you are not traveling underneath steep slopes.
By far, the biggest threat is triggering an avalanche that breaks into loose faceted snow that formed in January. This threat is present on slopes steeper than 30° above 8500 feet in elevation on the north half of the compass.
The avalanche I triggered on Monday tells us everything we need to know. When you are triggering large avalanches from a distance, conditions are dangerous.
I'm sorry to report that yet another person was killed in an avalanche on Sunday. A snow biker was caught and buried in a large avalanche in Snake Creek in Wasatch County. His partners could not pick up a signal from his avalanche beacon. It turned out his beacon was in his pocket but was turned off. We will have a full detailed report later this week. PRELIMINARY REPORT HERE
Closer to home on the Skyline, I remotely triggered a sizeable avalanche in Seeley Canyon on Monday afternoon. MORE DETAILS HERE
General Conditions: Riding conditions remained decent on Monday. Overall, the snowpack is still shallow and I feel like I'm "on guard" all day long because I feel like I could hit something within the shallow snow at anytime. I am riding slowly and cautiously. It is not like a normal winter at this time where I am usually just letting it rip. Many places are still punchy and your track or skis will punch through the new snow into the old weak sugary facets. Temperatures hit 40°F on Monday and stayed warm overnight, only dropping to around freezing. You'll find sun crusts on all the sunny-facing slopes. Wind from the southwest has increased and is in the moderate speed range.
Mountain Weather: A storm is moving into northern Utah this morning. Unfortunately, it is not going to dig far enough south to do much for the Skyline. We may pick up a few inches of snow tonight into Wednesday. 2 to 4 inches of dense snow is possible. Temperatures are going to remain very warm today and Wednesday with highs into the 30s. The rain/snow line will be up around 8500 feet or higher. Clouds thicken up today and start to clear out again on Wednesday night. Wind from the west looks like it's going to remain breezy today and Wednesday.
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.
