Avalanche forecast

Uintas

Utah Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

In the wind zone, at and above treeline, the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE. Human triggered avalanches are LIKELY on all steep wind drifted slopes, especially those facing the north half of the compass and particularly those with an easterly component to their aspect. Any avalanche that breaks into deeper buried weak layers near the ground will result in a very scary, dangerous, and quite possibly unsurvivable avalanche.

You'll find MODERATE avalanche danger on steep, mid elevation, wind drifted slopes and human triggered avalanches are POSSIBLE.

Your exit strategy and ticket for a safer riding alternative exists on low angle terrain facing the south half of the compass with no steep terrain above or adjacent to where you're riding. In terrain with these characteristics you'll find generally LOW avalanche danger and human triggered avalanches are UNLIKELY.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    4

    Let's face it... our snowpack has issues. It's no secret, we have persistent weaknesses buried deep in the snowpack and they're slow to heal. This type of structure is particularly dangerous because we don't even have to be on a steep slope in order to trigger a slide... we just need to be connected to it. But here's the deceiving twist, the range is fat and white and the snowpack is gonna feel really strong and supportable. As a matter of fact, we can ride many slopes without incident and think we're good to go. However, recent avalanches breaking to the ground suggest all we need to do is find a shallow, weak portion of the snowpack, perhaps around a rock or bush that we can't see underneath the snow, collapse the slope (whoomph), and now we're staring down the barrel of a dangerous avalanche.

    It doesn't mean we can't ride, it does mean we need to avoid bulls-eye terrain where unmanageable avalanche dragons live and it's pretty straight-forward. The common theme for all the big avalanches we've seen recently have occurred on steep, upper elevation, wind drifted slopes facing the north half of the compass.

    Here's some good advice from Andy and Bo who were near Bald Mountain last weekend.... "The take away from today was that the range is having a great season, and hopefully an even better spring. Until then we have to be patient and let the snowpack heal. Sometimes patience is difficult, but so is trying to outthink the snowpack. Here's the out: riding conditions continue to be stellar in protected terrain at mid to low elevations. This is where we can ski and ride in low angle terrain, boondock mellow trees and find the best snow while avoiding the persistent weak layers all together.

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2

    There's no shortage of light density to blow around and it doesn't take strong winds in order to form fresh drifts, sensitive to our additional weight. Today's wind drifts are found mostly along the leeward side of upper elevation ridges, but there could be a few drifts lurking around terrain features like chutes or gullies. In any case, today you'll want to look for and avoid any fat, rounded piece of snow, especially if it sounds hollow like a drum.

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    3

    This winters storms have been busy at work creating layers of cornice that may break back further than you might expect. And remember- several large, recent avalanches have been triggered with cornice fall. You definitely wanna give these large, unpredictable pieces of snow a wide berth and not ruin someones day below by inadvertently knocking a boxcar size piece of snow down on them.

Special Announcement

The accident reports for the four avalanche fatalities are all finalized with some first-hand accounts and worth reading. We all have something to learn so that we can get home safely to our loved ones.

Jan 18 Electric Lake Accident (Skyline area)

Jan 25 Laurel Peak Accident (Moab area)

Feb 7 Circleville Mtn Accident (Southwest area near Beaver, UT)

Feb 9 Chalk Creek Accident (Western Uintas)

Above, Shannon tells a remarkably heartfelt, heavy story about the avalanche accident his friend Jason Lyman of Mona was involved in on Saturday February 9th, while snowmobiling on the west side of Humpy Peak in the East Fork of the Chalk Creek drainage. Of course the collective thoughts, prayers, and energy of the UAC go to the friends and family of Mr. Lyman.

Recent Activity

Last weeks cornice falls triggered massive avalanches breaking to weak snow near the ground.

Sunday, a large piece of cornice peeled off this ridge, initiating the slide below, and stripping this slope of its entire winter snowpack. The end result is a large slide breaking 6'-10' deep, over a 1000' wide, and running a historically long distance.

And from Friday...

Releasing sometime early Friday morning, this huge avalanche above, was triggered by a cornice fall in Upper Weber Canyon. Dave Kikkert and I took a look at this historic slide just hours after the dust settled. Averaging 6' deep, but topping 8'-10' deep in places, this avalanche was well over 1500' wide and ran 1000' vertically. Dave and I suspect a the thin portion of this slope to the lookers left is where the slide initiated. This swath of snow has avalanched several times this year, it's what we call a "repeater", and has remained thin and weak all winter. This slide clearly illustrates the complex snow structure, along with the tricky nature and scale of the recent avalanche activity in the western Uinta's.

And sadly, the tragic avalanche accident on February 9th in Chalk Creek is pictured above. Triggered while the sledder was low on the slope, this slide broke deep and wide, taking out the entire seasons snowpack, snapping timber as it crashed down onto the slope below.

Recent trip reports and avy activity found HERE.

Snow and Weather

While the bulk of yesterday's storm dove south, a shot of wrap-around moisture snuck in through the backdoor delivering 2"-3" of very light density snow. We're crawling out of the deep freeze and temperatures are in the mid single digits, or about 10 degrees warmer since yesterday at this time. Winds are easterly, light and well behaved, blowing 10-15 mph along the high peaks.

Above is hourly data from Trial Lake (9,945') and Windy Peak (10,662'). To view more regional weather stations click here.

Yep the snowpack is deep, the range is white and fat, and riding conditions are about as good as they get. With so much snow and water, Micheal J is experiencing some of the best riding conditions in a couple years and says there's plenty of safe, low angle options where you can have a blast. More on his travels here.

Additional Info

Today's weak storm produces a few snow showers, light winds, and continued cold temperatures with highs only rising into the mid teens. Storminess exits the region tonight and high pressure, along with a warming trend begins building through the weekend.

General Announcements

The information in this advisory expires 24 hours after the date and time posted, but will be updated by 7:00 AM Saturday February 23rd, 2019.

If you're getting out and about, please let me know what you're seeing especially if you see or trigger and avalanche. I can be reached at [email protected] or 801-231-2170

It's also a good time to set up one of our very popular avalanche awareness classes. Reach out to me and I'll make it happen.

This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

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