Avalanche forecast

Salt Lake

Issued Jan 12, 2026valid to Jan 13, 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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago.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

There is a MODERATE avalanche danger at the upper elevations and on sunny, mid-elevation slopes where human-triggered avalanches are possible. Avalanches may involve recent wind drifted snow at the upper elevations and sluffing in wet snow on sunny slopes and in dry snow on steep northerly slopes.

On steep, rocky, upper-elevation slopes facing west/north/east, an avalanche failing in a persistent weak layer of snow down near the ground remains possible.

Avalanche problems

Storm Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
2
(Let's call it "new-ish" snow.) There are three possible issues to watch for with our snowfall from last Thursday:

1. Wet Loose Snow: Expect minor, wet-loose avalanche activity on solar/sunny slopes as the day warms. Although these should be minor, be sure not to get caught in a steep terrain trap or carried over rocks.

2. Wind Drifts: Although most wind drifts have settled out and are now unreactive, there are some upper elevation slopes where you can find dense wind drifts that formed Friday or Saturday that may be reactive, especially on slopes with a preserved layer of surface hoar down 1-2 feet deep.

3. Sluffing: The snow surface is quickly weakening with facets and surface hoar in the top few inches of snow on shady, northerly aspects which may sluff easily on steep slopes. Just as with minor wet, loose snow, even a small sluff could carry you over rocks in steeper terrain.
Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Unlikely
Size
2
Our season-long, persistent weak layer of faceted snow down near the ground is still present in our snowpack. Although we are trending toward dormancy with this problem, human-triggered avalanches remain possible in steep, rocky, upper-elevation terrain - particularly on slopes facing north and northeast. Slopes that have been recently wind-loaded are most suspect.

(Notice we have removed mid-elevations from the locator rose for this avalanche problem. The most suspect slopes are upper-elevations, but some weak snow has also been found as low as 9,300 feet.)

Special Announcement

Reminder from PC Patrol to BCC touring parties- Now that Jupiter is open, Pinecone Ridge off Puke Hill is in-bounds closed terrain.

Recent Activity

Other than minor, wet-loose activity on solar slopes, no avalanche activity was reported from Sunday in the Salt Lake mountains.

An natural avalanche in Stairs Gulch on a steep, northerly aspect at 10,100 feet was reported from Saturday. The avalanche was 5 feet deep and 200 feet wide, running to the ground. I'm uncertain if this a glide avalanche or avalanche that failed in the PWL, perhaps triggered from a cornice fall. Regardless, this avalanche is a reminder that deep avalanches failing to the ground remain possible at the upper elevations. Photo below from Nathan Longhurst.

Natural avalanche in Stairs Gulch on Saturday.

We continue to receive many excellent, high-quality observations.

Snow and Weather

This Morning: Temperatures are in the upper 20's and low 30's °F and winds are from the north/northwest and light, less than 10 mph.

Today: Sunny skies with temperatures rising into the mid and upper 30's °F. Winds will remain light, with gusts near 20 mph at the uppermost elevations.

A sprawling ridge of high pressure dominates our weather for the next 7-10 days, with mostly sunny skies, warm temperatures, and light winds.

Solar aspects will have a sun crust, with cold, dry snow on northerly slopes.

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