Issued by Toby Weed on Monday morning, January 11, 2021
Heightened avalanche conditions exist on many slopes, and people could trigger dangerous avalanches failing on a sugary persistent weak layer near the ground. There are areas with CONSIDERABLE danger on previously drifted slopes at upper elevations, where avalanches could be about 3-feet-deep and a few hundred feet wide. Avalanches could be triggered remotely, from a distance, or from below. You'll find safer conditions in lower angled, sheltered, and lower elevation terrain.
Cracking and collapsing indicate unstable snow.
Evaluate snow carefully, choose your route cautiously, and make conservative decisions.
Continue to avoid and stay out from under drifted slopes steeper than about 30 degrees.
Sadly, I must report that on Friday, 1-8-2021, a 31-year-old male snowboarder from Clinton, Utah was killed in an avalanche in Dutch Draw in the backcountry near Park City. The final accident report is HERE.
Weather and Snow
DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS EXIST IN THE BACKCOUNTRY. The snow pack is generally quite shallow in the Logan Zone and we have a serious problem with widespread very weak sugary snow and a dangerous persistent weak layer near the ground on most slopes. Due to the very shallow snow cover and cold mountain temperatures the sugary faceted snow crystals continue to grow, and on many slopes existing weak layers appear to be getting even weaker.
On Friday a rider was completely buried by a nasty avalanche in Steep Hollow. He was rescued by his riding partners after being buried under 3 feet of heavy snow for about 15 minutes. Here is a short video telling the story from UAC Logan, and local riders, Jon, Jonny, and Codie.
It will be sunny today, with 8500' temperatures around 29°F, a light northwest wind, and wind chill values as low as -2°F. High pressure will remain in place over Utah through the week, but there is a chance for some light snow in the Logan Zone, and it will be pretty windy on Wednesday, but accumulations will be light, only 1 or 2 inches.
Recent Avalanches
A local rider was caught in a large avalanche that came from above, and he was completely buried under thee feet of snow in Steep Hollow Area Friday, 1-8-2021. Thankfully, he was rescued in time by his riding partners. Read our Initial Accident Report
A rider reports that his party of sledders remotely triggered a large avalanche in Egan Basin Saturday, 1-9-2021.
There were four reported large remotely triggered avalanches in the Northern Bear River Range Friday, 1-8-2021, all triggered by sledders or snow bikers, and luckily from a distance.
Riders in upper Providence Canyon Wednesday remote triggered a few good sized avalanches from a good distance away in the flats...
A very wide avalanche was remotely triggered yesterday by riders near Bloomington Lake on Friday, 1-8-2021. It's a good thing that the avalanche happened before anybody was out riding on the slope.
Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
The buried persistent weak layer problem involving sugary faceted snow is a very dangerous and notoriously tricky avalanche problem, and it is responsible for most fatalities, injuries, and close calls in the Logan Zone. Very weak sugary or faceted snow near the ground is widespread across the region, and people could trigger avalanches where a slab of more cohesive snow has formed on top of the weak snow.
Avalanches failing on a buried persistent weak layer might be triggered remotely, from a distance, or worse from below!
Cracking and collapsing of the snow are a red flag, indicating unstable snow conditions.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
People could trigger 1 to 3-foot-thick slab avalanches of previously drifted snow on steep slopes, especially where drifts formed on slopes with preexisting weak surface snow or buried persistent weak layers. Watch for and avoid stiffer drifted snow at upper and mid elevations near ridge tops and in and around terrain features like gullies, cliff bands, and sub ridges. Avalanches of previously wind drifted snow could be triggered remotely or from a distance.
Harder wind slabs may allow people to get out on them before releasing.
This is part of the crown of the Steep Hollow Avalanche from 1-8-2021. The avalanche involved previously wind drifted snow that failed on a deep persistent weak layer.
Additional Information
Check out our new and relevant Blog featuring Paige and Greg discussing Danger Ratings and Persistent Weak Layers....HERE
My tip for avoiding avalanches in the backcountry is to keep your slope angles low. Avoid and stay out from under slopes steeper than about 30 degrees. Get a tool to measure slope angle and practice with it in the backcountry. Watch the video HERE.
Paige shows what we are talking about when we mention faceted snow in our forecasts. Watch the video HERE
General Announcements
Thanks to the generous support of our local resorts, Ski Utah, and Backcountry, discount lift tickets are now available. Support the UAC while you ski at the resorts this season. Tickets are available here.
EMAIL ADVISORY. If you would like to get the daily advisory by email you subscribe HERE.
Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche observations....HERE. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clickingHERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.
I will update this forecast by around 7:30 tomorrow morning.
This forecast is from the USDA Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. The forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
