Moab

It's becoming more difficult to trigger an avalanche but an isolated or MODERATE danger for human triggered avalanches involving wind drifted snow still exists. The danger is greatest on upper elevation slopes facing N-NE-SE. Wind drifts are recognizable by their smooth, rounded appearance, and they may sound or feel hollow like a drum. In areas where the underlying snow is shallow and weak, a triggered wind drift may cause a deeper and more dangerous avalanche. Choose terrain carefully and avoid steep slopes with recent deposits of wind drifted snow.

Are you looking to improve your avalanche skills? We are offering a Backcountry 101: Introduction to Avalanches class on February 15-16 in Moab. Click here to register A huge thanks to Moab Gear Trader for sponsoring this course. Please visit them for all your winter backcountry needs.

Road Conditions: Grand County has plowed and widened the road. A big thanks to them for keeping access open this winter!

Grooming report: Matt from LUNA (Lower Utah Nordic Alliance) groomed on Wednesday. Thanks Matt!

24 Hour Snow 0" Weekly Snow 10" Base Depth in Gold Basin 50" Wind SW 19 G30 mph Temp 19F

Weather: It was a beautiful, if not breezy day in the mountains yesterday with high temps in the mid to upper 30's. Today we'll see mostly cloudy skies and a chance for snow as yet another storm clips by to the north. South winds this morning should shift to more northerly and back off into the 10-15 mph range. High temps will be in the mid 20's. Monday looks to be mostly sunny with another chance for snow on Tuesday as a system moves through Arizona. The rest of the week looks dry.

Snowpack: Strong and shifting winds throughout the week have worked over the snow surface in exposed terrain leading to what observer Nate Ament described as "a complex patchwork of variable snow surfaces and wind deposits on multiple aspects." Kona and his human Jason Ramsdell were out and about on Friday. They reported variable conditions but a pleasant tour. Read their report here.

Underneath the surface, the snowpack is taking the form of a mid-season continental snowpack on an average year, with varying depths and strengths minus the depth hoar. In most areas above about 10,500', the pack is deep and strong with a depth of 4'-5'. But sun and wind-exposed slopes, and rocky areas right around treeline and below have shallower and weaker snow. In most cases, these weaker snow areas are not yet a problem. Isolated concerns exist in areas of steep, rocky, or sparsely wooded extreme terrain where wind drifted snow has been added to the underlying weak snow.

Wind, temperature, humidity on Pre Laurel Peak (11,700')

Storm totals at Gold Basin Study Plot (10,000').

Snotel site near Geyser Pass Trailhead (9600').

NWS weather forecast

Kona reported variable snow conditions but he had a great time anyway and so can you! Jason Ramsdell photo.

And here's to Girl Scout Troop 1791, our next generation of women in the backcountry, for coming up and learning how to use avalanche beacons at a clinic on Saturday!

My radio interview on KZMU about the history of backcountry skiing in the La Sals, avalanche accidents, and unique snowpack has been saved in perpetuity. You can listen to it here.

Check out the avalanche beacon training park at the Geyser Pass Trailhead and practice your rescue skills!

This forecast is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.