Utah Avalanche Center
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January 30, 2006 - 7:04 am Steep wind drifted slopes at the mid and upper elevations will have a MODERATE danger today. Human triggered avalanches will be possible while natural or spontaneous avalanches are not expected. Folks who have been riding everything thats white will want to take a step back now that we have a buried weak layer in the upper portion of the pack. It would be a good idea to refer to the avalanche problems below for more detail.
Hardesty
Links: Avalanche List Photos Profile List Weather Links Glossary 12 Hrs Stubborn wind drifts may still be triggered on steep lee slopes at the mid and upper elevations, potentially breaking out a few turns into the slope, or a few dozen feet above you. 24 Hrs For the upper snowpack weaknesses, collapsing will give some indication here as well, as will more dedicated snow-pit tests. These weak layers have been found on a variety of aspects and elevations and seem patchy in the Cottonwoods and more pronounced in the other outlying areas. Avalanches failing on these layers may pull out above you or at a distance, and may trigger other slides. Insult to injury here is that many of them are sitting on a perfect bed surface of old wind and suncrusts. The bottom line before the bottom line is that conditions will be quite varied and tricky today, and youll want to be on your game.
Many ski area control teams needed a pry bar to dislodge the stubborn new wind drifts yesterday, but found them running fast and far on the old bed surfaces once in motion. The most interesting control work came from Provo and the Park City areas, as explosives released hard slabs up to 2 ½ deep and 300 wide. Ive been called a lot of things, but facet conspiracy theorist takes the cake. Im glad to hear, at least, that Im being verified. At least three skier triggered slides pulled out on faceted snow above a suncrust yesterday, with one being triggered at a distance. The remotely triggered slide pulled out 1-2 deep and 75 wide up high in southerly facing Beartrap in BCC. Cornice drops in the Brighton backcountry and near Bountiful Peak pulled out soft slabs 1 deep and up to 100 wide, also running on faceted snow above a suncrust. Control work on the PC ridgeline at the lower elevations produced full slope collapses on this layer as well. Brett Koberniks outline of the faceted snow problems can be found here.
Were in a bit of a holding pattern, waiting for tonight when the meat of the next Pacific storm rolls through. Skies are overcast with a few random flakes falling here and there, and temperatures continue their upward march into the low to mid-20s. The west and northwest winds averaged 20-35mph with the most exposed anemometers humming along at 40-45mph. Theyve since calmed somewhat, but should remain in the 15-25mph range until, as the Tappet brothers say, the third half of the show, when they push back into the strong range. Backcountry conditions are best on a wide platform but tricky with the winds constant hammering.
Well have overcast skies and intermittent snow showers until the storm arrives this evening. Winds will back to the southwest today and gradually increase to 20-30mph by about dinner time. 8000 highs will each into the low thirties as 10,000 temps continue reaching into the mid-to upper twenties. Snow totals through midday Tuesday look to be about 6-12, depending on location. Another windy storm arrives Wednesday with another good shot slated for the weekend.
Early birds and snow geeks can catch our 6AM report at 364-1591.
You can find our mountain weather forecast here by about noon each day.
3rd Annual Backcountry Awareness Week Monday Jan 30-Sunday February 5Fundraising Dinner February 3rd at 6pm with speakers Conrad Anker and Apa Sherpa. For more info, call Snowbird at 933-2147. Visit www.backcountryawareness.com for more details.
Check out our new graphical advisory format. You can update your bookmarks to this link:http://www.avalanche.org/~uac/newadvisory/advisory.php
Click HERE for a text only version of the avalanche advisory.
To have this advisory automatically e-mailed to you each day, click HERE. (You must re-sign up this season even if you were on the list last season.)
UDOT also has a highway avalanche control work hotline for Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, and Provo canyons, which is updated as needed. 801-975-4838.
The Wasatch Powderbird Guides didnt get out yesterday and are permitted for AF, the Sessions, and Cascade, with a home run out White Pine today. For more info, call 742-2800.
Please report any backcountry snow and avalanche conditions. Call (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, email uac@avalanche.org (uac@avalanche.org) or fax 801-524-6301. The information in this advisory is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
Brett Kobernik will update this advisory by 7:30 Tuesday morning. Thanks for calling.
This advisory provided by the Wasatch Cache National Forest, in partnership with:
Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Department of Emergency Services and Homeland Security and Salt Lake County
DISCLAIMER: Above is information on each factor affecting todays' danger rating. All factors must be considered to develop a backcountry travel plan that will reduce your risk.
The post was created using an automated process maintained by First Tracks! Online.
Hardesty
Links: Avalanche List Photos Profile List Weather Links Glossary 12 Hrs Stubborn wind drifts may still be triggered on steep lee slopes at the mid and upper elevations, potentially breaking out a few turns into the slope, or a few dozen feet above you. 24 Hrs For the upper snowpack weaknesses, collapsing will give some indication here as well, as will more dedicated snow-pit tests. These weak layers have been found on a variety of aspects and elevations and seem patchy in the Cottonwoods and more pronounced in the other outlying areas. Avalanches failing on these layers may pull out above you or at a distance, and may trigger other slides. Insult to injury here is that many of them are sitting on a perfect bed surface of old wind and suncrusts. The bottom line before the bottom line is that conditions will be quite varied and tricky today, and youll want to be on your game.
Many ski area control teams needed a pry bar to dislodge the stubborn new wind drifts yesterday, but found them running fast and far on the old bed surfaces once in motion. The most interesting control work came from Provo and the Park City areas, as explosives released hard slabs up to 2 ½ deep and 300 wide. Ive been called a lot of things, but facet conspiracy theorist takes the cake. Im glad to hear, at least, that Im being verified. At least three skier triggered slides pulled out on faceted snow above a suncrust yesterday, with one being triggered at a distance. The remotely triggered slide pulled out 1-2 deep and 75 wide up high in southerly facing Beartrap in BCC. Cornice drops in the Brighton backcountry and near Bountiful Peak pulled out soft slabs 1 deep and up to 100 wide, also running on faceted snow above a suncrust. Control work on the PC ridgeline at the lower elevations produced full slope collapses on this layer as well. Brett Koberniks outline of the faceted snow problems can be found here.
Were in a bit of a holding pattern, waiting for tonight when the meat of the next Pacific storm rolls through. Skies are overcast with a few random flakes falling here and there, and temperatures continue their upward march into the low to mid-20s. The west and northwest winds averaged 20-35mph with the most exposed anemometers humming along at 40-45mph. Theyve since calmed somewhat, but should remain in the 15-25mph range until, as the Tappet brothers say, the third half of the show, when they push back into the strong range. Backcountry conditions are best on a wide platform but tricky with the winds constant hammering.
Well have overcast skies and intermittent snow showers until the storm arrives this evening. Winds will back to the southwest today and gradually increase to 20-30mph by about dinner time. 8000 highs will each into the low thirties as 10,000 temps continue reaching into the mid-to upper twenties. Snow totals through midday Tuesday look to be about 6-12, depending on location. Another windy storm arrives Wednesday with another good shot slated for the weekend.
Early birds and snow geeks can catch our 6AM report at 364-1591.
You can find our mountain weather forecast here by about noon each day.
3rd Annual Backcountry Awareness Week Monday Jan 30-Sunday February 5Fundraising Dinner February 3rd at 6pm with speakers Conrad Anker and Apa Sherpa. For more info, call Snowbird at 933-2147. Visit www.backcountryawareness.com for more details.
Check out our new graphical advisory format. You can update your bookmarks to this link:http://www.avalanche.org/~uac/newadvisory/advisory.php
Click HERE for a text only version of the avalanche advisory.
To have this advisory automatically e-mailed to you each day, click HERE. (You must re-sign up this season even if you were on the list last season.)
UDOT also has a highway avalanche control work hotline for Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, and Provo canyons, which is updated as needed. 801-975-4838.
The Wasatch Powderbird Guides didnt get out yesterday and are permitted for AF, the Sessions, and Cascade, with a home run out White Pine today. For more info, call 742-2800.
Please report any backcountry snow and avalanche conditions. Call (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, email uac@avalanche.org (uac@avalanche.org) or fax 801-524-6301. The information in this advisory is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
Brett Kobernik will update this advisory by 7:30 Tuesday morning. Thanks for calling.
This advisory provided by the Wasatch Cache National Forest, in partnership with:
Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Department of Emergency Services and Homeland Security and Salt Lake County
DISCLAIMER: Above is information on each factor affecting todays' danger rating. All factors must be considered to develop a backcountry travel plan that will reduce your risk.
The post was created using an automated process maintained by First Tracks! Online.