Avalanche forecast

Salt Lake

Issued Jan 29, 2025valid to Jan 30, 2025Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Areas of MODERATE avalanche danger can still be found in the upper elevations for recent and old slabs of wind drifted snow. Remember that terrain amplifies your risk in the no-fall zones. In very steep rocky terrain - or areas that have avalanched previously and now been reloaded - it is still possible to trigger a slab avalanche failing on sugary, faceted snow.

Loose dry and loose wet sluffs can also be expected today on northerly and southerly aspects, respectively. Otherwise, many slopes have a LOW avalanche danger.

Avalanche problems

Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
2
You can still trigger pockets of soft and hard wind drifted snow, particularly in the upper elevations. NOTE - because the winds were from the east, drifts will be found in odd or unusual locations. The older hard drifts from the weekend and late last week have mostly settled out, but don't bet your life on it: continue to approach any wind feature with caution. These hard drifts were blown on weak faceted surface snow (PWL - emphasis on persistent) and remained active longer than usual.
Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Unlikely
Size
3
Ground-level facets and depth hoar are responsible for most of the significant avalanche activity since Christmas. While this persistent weak layer (PWL) is trending toward dormancy, Sunday's Tibble Fork slide—is a reminder that many areas that avalanched and reloaded with snow and wind, can still be triggered by human weight. THESE are not widespread, but still an isolated concern. For more info on this, look at our Tibble Fork/Forest Glen report HERE.

Special Announcement

Check out this insightful blog by Paige and Jeremy where they break down the complexities of Persistent Weak Layer (PWL) avalanches, why thin and rocky areas are especially dangerous, and how to manage the risks effectively in the backcountry.

Understanding the Risk of Persistent Weak Layer Avalanches

Join the UAC at Deer Valley on January 30th for the 2nd Annual Blizzard Ball Gala. Bruce Tremper, the Former Director of the Utah Avalanche Center, will deliver the keynote address.

Recent Activity

Ski area avalanche teams found active wind loading from the east winds and triggered numerous soft slabs of wind drifted snow in the higher elevations. Backcountry skiers also intentionally triggered shallow 4-8" pockets of wind slab cross-loaded across terrain features. Others triggered shallow loose snow facet-sluffs in steep northerly terrain.

Yesterday, Dave Kelly, Trent Meisenheimer and I went to look at the skier triggered slide in the upper Tibble Fork (Forest Lake area) from Sunday. INFO.

Find all avalanches from the past few days on the observations and avalanche page.

Observations and Avalanches

Snow and Weather

Skies are clear.

Winds are light from the northeast; temperatures are inverted, with trailheads and basins in the low teens and temps aloft in the upper teens to low 20s.

Riding conditions are hunt and peck with a fair bit of sun and wind damage. You can find a few patches of soft settled powder in the north-facing terrain.

Today, we'll have sunny skies, light north to northwest winds, and temperatures rising to the upper 20s to low 30s.

The Outlook: Interesting, to say the least. A series of storms arrive late Friday with a good moisture tap and moderate to strong westerly winds. I'm bullish on this series of storms and wouldn't be surprised to see a couple-few inches of water or snow-water-equivalent by the time it's all said and done. That's the good news. The bad news is that the expected heavy, dense snow, fluctuating temperatures, and strong winds will dramatically increase the avalanche danger. Stay tuned.

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