Moab

The avalanche danger is generally LOW and human triggered avalanches are unlikely. Low danger doesn't mean no danger, however, and mountain travel in winter nearly always retains some risk for avalanches. You can minimize your risk through awareness in travel and by continuing to avoid natural trigger points such as steep convexities, and very steep, rocky, radical terrain. Northerly facing slopes generally carry the highest risk. Small, loose, dry avalanches are possible on very steep, sheltered, northerly facing terrain below treeline. Although not large enough to bury you, they could sweep you off your feet and take you for a ride.

Urgent battery replacement required for anyone who received batteries from one of our participating "Batteries for Beacons" shops. Please review the "Batteries for Beacons" replacement notice on our blog. Batteries distributed through our "Batteries for Beacons" program this year have shown to be inadequate length.

Geyser Pass Road: Surface is mainly snowpacked and icy. AWD with good tires required.

Grooming Conditions: Gold Basin through Geyser Pass was last groomed a week ago and the surface is getting a bit rough.

See the avalanche database here.

6 A.M. Snow and Weather Data

24 Hour Snow: 0" 72 Hour Snow: 0" Season Total Snow: 63" Depth at Gold Basin: 29"

Winds on Pre-Laurel Peak: S 15-20 G 30 Temp: 22° F Percent of Normal (SWE): 79%

Weather

Ridge top winds out of the southwest continue to blow in the moderate to strong range. Brief high pressure builds today as a cut off low pinches off from the trough to the north and moves over northern California. This should bring gradually clearing skies and the warmest temperatures we've seen for a while with highs in the low 30's at 10,000'. Tomorrow, the cut off low slides down the Pacific coast before tracking eastward into the Great Basin. Monday will be mostly sunny until the low begins to influence the Four Corners region that night. A chance for showers develops Monday night and extending through Thursday. Long range models are currently showing a significant pattern change with the jet stream dropping further south the following week.

General Conditions

The current snowpack is weak and faceted, variable in depth, and contains a smattering of old, hard wind slabs. Although isolated, and only a few inches thick, Dave Garcia reported that some more recently formed wind slabs remained sensitive yesterday. Above treeline, the snow surface has been severely affected by the wind and many slopes are scoured down to the rocks. In my travels on Friday, I found that the snowpack on shady slopes below treeline was entirely faceted and had lost all cohesion, and I was able to initiate loose, dry, "facet-lanches" on very steep slopes. The good news is, there is still enough snow for travel and we'll be back in business if the pattern ever changes. The bad news is, conditions will quickly become dangerous again when new snow finally comes.

General conditions above treeline:

Small, loose, "facet-lanche" on a steep gully wall:

Snowpack and Weather Data

Snowpack Observations

Gold Basin Storm Stake (10,000')

Gold Basin SNOTEL site (10,000')

SNOTEL site near Geyser Pass Winter Trailhead (9600')

Wind Station on Pre-Laurel Peak (11,400')

NWS forecast for the La Sal Mountains.

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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.