Avalanche forecast

Ogden

Issued Jan 9, 2021valid to Jan 10, 2021Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

There is a CONSIDERABLE AVALANCHE DANGER on steep slopes at the upper elevations facing west, through north, and east where recent storm snow and winds have created a dense slab of snow on top of a buried persistent weak layer. Avalanches may be 2-3' deep and over 200' wide. These are dangerous avalanche conditions - avoid being on, underneath, or adjacent to steep slopes on these aspects and elevations where human-triggered avalanches are likely. There is a Moderate danger at the mid elevations where this problem still exists but is much less pronounced. A Moderate danger exists for triggering a fresh wind drift at the upper elevations affected by the northeasterly winds.

Keep in mind:

- If you are leaving the ski area through an exit gate, you are entering the backcountry and likely stepping into a CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger.

- Previous tracks on a slope are zero indication of stability. (Notice the tracks on the slope adjacent to the site of Friday's accident in Dutch Draw.)

- If you are skiing or riding alone, you have no margin of safety with no one to perform a rescue.

Fortunately, excellent riding conditions exist on low-angled slopes other than due south.

Avalanche problems

Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Likely
Size
2
Recent storm snow and moderate to strong winds have built a dense slab on top of a buried persistent weak layer (PWL) creating dangerous avalanche conditions. You simply need to avoid steep terrain facing west, through north, and east at the mid and upper elevations. If you choose to enter the terrain where this PWL exists, stick to low-angled slopes (less than 30° in steepness) with nothing steep adjacent to or above you.

Although we have received few reports from the Ogden mountains this week, there have been several close calls/near misses in the Salt Lake mountains, and now one fatality. There also were several avalanches reported to our north in the Logan-area mountains on Friday. Conditions in the Ogden mountains aren't much different than to our north and south.

Special Announcement

With great sadness, the Utah Avalanche Center reports that a 31-year old male snowboarder from Clinton, Utah was killed in a backcountry avalanche in Dutch Draw off of Silver Peak, located on the Park City Ridgeline.

The UAC, in partnership with Canyons Village ski patrol, will investigate the accident site today. Our thoughts go out to those affected by this tragic accident, especially the family and friends of the victim.

Out of respect for the victim and for the safety of those involved with the investigation, we ask that backcountry travelers avoid the Park City ridgeline above the Dutch Draw area as the investigation takes place today.

New Post! - A Look Behind the Curtain - A Conversation between an Old and a New Forecaster

Thanks to the generous support of our local resorts, Ski Utah, and Backcountry, discount lift tickets are now available. Support the UAC while you ski at the resorts this season. Tickets are available here.

Recent Activity

The Dutch Draw avalanche accident occurred on an east aspect at 9800'. The slide was 1-2' deep, about 200' wide, and ran 700' vertical, failing in weak faceted snow. A preliminary report has been published, and we will fill in more details after the investigation of the accident site today.

A bit to our north, there were several remotely-triggered slides in the Logan-area mountains, including reports of a full-burial where a rider was rescued by their partners. UAC Logan forecasters are hoping to speak to the riders today to learn more about this accident. In the northern Bear River Range, there were four reported slides, one up to 1000' wide.

Snow and Weather

Skies are partly cloudy this morning with temperatures ranging through the teens. Winds are northerly and generally light at the mid elevations - less than 10 mph - with gusts in the teens and 20's mph along the upper elevation ridges and highest peaks (i.e. Mt. Ogden)

No new snow was reported overnight.

For today you can expect partly cloudy skies and continued light to moderate winds from the north and northeast, with gusts in the teens and 20's mph. Temperatures will rise into the low 20's F.

No major storms are in sight.

Additional Info

A few years ago Drew did an analysis of the avalanches in the state of Utah in the modern era. This is for the post-mining days. We're up to 123 fatalities since January 1940.

The last sentence in the study's introduction was this -

As with any papers looking at statistics, it might be tempting to look at these fatalities as just numbers. But at the end of the day, each incident is not a number at all. Each incident is a human being – a person with a family and a community, with dreams and aspirations whose life was taken from them by an avalanche.

General Announcements

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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