Avalanche Warning - Wasatch 5/17/15

[Marc_C]

The Utah Avalanche Center shut down seasonal operations on April 1, but after last night was compelled to post on FB:

"Avalanche Warning issued last night. 16" of dense snow overnight. Large, dangerous avalanches likely including at closed ski resorts. Please help spread the word. Stay off of, and out from underneath, any steep slope."

 

[Admin]

Too late to remind a certain guy we both know. Let's hope that he exercises some judgment.

 

[Marc_C]

http://www.wasatchsnowforecast.com/2015/05/17/another-may-hosing/

"Eventually, the heavy precip pushed in during the evening which forced snow levels down to 7,500 feet. Once precip waned this morning, it looks like they shot back up to near 8,500′. Alta-Collins station showing 15″ of new snow. This is very, very dense snow that is likely somewhat upside down. NWS and UAC have issued an AVALANCHE WARNING for the Wasatch. If you ventured into the backcountry today. Be very careful. Hopefully most of you that did go, went early this morning before the snow turns to utter concrete."

 

[get_outside]

"If you ventured into the backcountry today. Be very careful. Hopefully most of you that did go, went early this morning before the snow turns to utter concrete."

No doubt. There was a couple inches of water and quite a bit of snow in the parking lot before 6:30 a.m. Was in the first 6-7 cars. At the top of corkscrew saw people heading to baldy shoulder direction except one who was headed over to stone crusher. on friday, i wondered how much fun it would be to hit that on a legit pow day and today i would find out. Followed the skinner for a bit before he had headed over to rustler. was able to skin 3/4 of the way up and boot the last bit near to the top before transitioning. i like skinning/hiking what you ski b/c it give you a real sense for what the snow is like, although booting steeps are not fun. ski cut results were better than friday's and off i went. fantastic turns all the way down. it was before 8 so figured there was time for one more before it would get too heavy. skinned up under collins to the high traverse and out to a zone between race course and sunspot. super fun.

in the parking lot by 9:30 and there were rows of cars. did speak with a guy in the parking lot who said little chute slid on his buddy right at the top. think he had lost a ski and the crown was somewhere around 4'. hope everyone makes it home safely.

a moment of visibility

stonecrusher

next lap

more fun

parking lot

 

[Tony Crocker]

I think there were days at Alta when the lifts were spinning this season with fewer cars in the Wildcat lot than that. :lol:

And of course Snowbird can't consider reopening the tram and Little Cloud for a weekend with this much new snow when Mammoth extends daily operations for 2 weeks on its far more meager base. :stir:

 

[Marc_C]

And of course Snowbird can't consider reopening the tram and Little Cloud for a weekend with this much new snow...

The tram is down for annual maintenance and, if my sources are accurate, couldn't operate now even if they wanted to.
And since they officially closed, most of the winter operational staff aren't available and have moved on to their summer jobs.

 

[Tony Crocker]

most of the winter operational staff aren't available

We have discussed this canard before. Mammoth lays off all of its seasonal staff in mid-April and uses permanent staff for late season. Mammoth's gondola is also in annual maintenance now, reopening Memorial Day weekend and then for mountain biking in the summer. And finally, Snowbird's past practice has been to operate daily until Mother's Day and weekends after that if there is enough snow and demand. And we all know that for Utah locals fresh powder = demand.

It's very simple. Some areas give a @#$% about their spring ski customers and some don't.