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Monday - April 28, 2008 - 9:06 am |
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The season is coming to a close for me, but avalanches will still occur as long as there's snow on steep slopes in the backcounty....
This is the season ending statement.......No more updates until November.
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Danger by |
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ASPECT & ELEVATION |
BOTTOM LINE |
on slopes over 35 degrees |
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We have stopped issuing danger ratings for the season. But, as long as there is snow on steep slopes in the backcountry avalanches will continue to be possible, especially during or right after windy spring storms or following or prolonged warm spells.
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| LINKS TO MORE INFO: |
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We’ve got fantastic coverage and great accessibility from numerous trailheads across the region this spring. The Tony Grove Snotel reports 83 inches of total snow containing almost 40 inches of equivalent water, 113% of average for the date.
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| RECENT AVALANCHES AND SNOWPACK INFO >>> |
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The season is quickly coming to a close for me, but just because I’m not out there to see an avalanche doesn’t mean they won’t happen, and avalanche accidents are not at all uncommon in the springtime. The point was driven home this weekend. Just as I was closing up shop and penning up the season’s year ending report report, news came of an avalanche accident near Tony Grove Lake. On Saturday afternoon, an experienced local snowboarder triggered a wet avalanche on a very steep slope and was caught and carried into trees below. Luckily she was not buried and survived, but unfortunately, she sustained several serious injuries and was forced to take a ride to hospital in a medical helicopter, (link to YouTube video).
There are a few familiar sounding avalanche problems to keep in mind if you head into the backcountry this spring, but the main thing is the human factor….Don’t be blindly confident in spring snow conditions and continue to stick rigidly to your safe travel protocols. Remember, one at a time crossing potential avalanche paths while the rest of the party watches from a safe location….Always envision the consequences of an avalanche in the terrain you’re in. Ask yourself, could you be swept into trees or rocks below, or could even a small avalanche overwhelm you in that steep sided gully? |
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PROBABILITY |
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TREND |
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Increasing
Danger |
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Decreasing
Danger |
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During the later stages and right after windy spring storms you might trigger freshly formed wind slab avalanches on steep drifted slopes, mainly at upper elevations. While you are probably used to this problem after a few months of similar conditions this season, don’t be caught of guard by a broader or deeper than expected release.
After a storm, warming will cause the fresh snow to quickly become saturated and prone to wet avalanching on many steep slopes. Even when air temperatures are fairly cool, solar warming from the intense high angled spring sun may cause sizable wet sluffs on sunny slopes. Even without any new snow, the spring melt may cause the snow to become saturated and loose strength on some steep slopes. It is always good to respect and avoid steep slopes with saturated new snow, as wet avalanches can entrain lots of heavy snow quickly.
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WHERE |
PROBABILITY |
SIZE |
TREND |
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Increasing
Danger |
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Decreasing
Danger |
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| over the next 24 hrs |
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Local cornices are huge this year! And they’ll certainly continue to pose a danger this spring, becoming more sensitive or active as things heat up, especially in the next few days.
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The familiar spring weather cycle continues....Very warm today with a southwest wind increasing…..Windy tomorrow with clouds building before the next cold Pacific storm scheduled for Wednesday…..
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| GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS >>> |
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This end of the season avalanche statement is brought to you in part by the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center in Logan with help from you….
check out the images page for photos of some of this season’s avalanches.
Go to the Avalanche Encyclopedia if you have any questions about terms I use in the advisory.
I'm very interested to know what you're seeing out there. Please e-mail observations to me at uaclogan@avalanche.org or leave me a message at 755-3638, especially if you see or trigger an avalanche in the backcountry. We keep all observations confidential.
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| 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. |
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This
advisory provided by the Wasatch Cache National Forest,
in partnership with:
Utah State Parks and Recreation, Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center-Logan, and Utah State University College of Natural Resources.
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