Forecast: Logan Area Mountains - Utah Avalanche Center

Special Avalanche Bulletin

What:
The Utah Avalanche Center is warning of dangerous avalanche conditions across all Utah mountains this weekend. This week’s heavy snowfall and strong winds overloaded preexisting weak layers, creating a HIGH avalanche danger across the entire state. With improving weather moving in for the weekend, avalanche accidents are likely in the backcountry. There have already been two tragic avalanche fatalities this week, as well as several close calls and numerous backcountry avalanches reported.

When:
In effect from 6:00 AM MST today to 6:00 AM MST Monday

Where:
The mountains of Utah and southeastern Idaho.

Impacts
Dangerous avalanche conditions exist in the backcountry and will persist through the weekend. Natural avalanches are possible, and people are likely to trigger avalanches on slopes steeper than 30 degrees. Dangerous and deadly avalanches can be triggered remotely (from a distance or from below). People leaving ski area boundaries are entering the backcountry where the same dangerous avalanche conditions exist.

Warning Times:
Friday, February 20, 2026 – Monday, February 23, 2026 at 6:00 AM MST

Regions:
ALL

Weather and Snow

Winter finally arrived this past week with heavy snowfall and strong winds, creating dangerous avalanche conditions in the backcountry, particularly on drifted upper- and mid-elevation slopes facing northwest through east. Two to three feet-thick slabs of wind-drifted snow sit atop our widespread Dry January Layer, which consists of very weak, faceted snow. With obvious red flags diminishing but consequences remaining the same, it is not the time to push slope angles. We've found excellent deep powder riding conditions on low-angle slopes and meadows this week, well away from avalanche terrain.

Currently, at 8700 feet, the UAC Card Canyon station reports 9°F, and there's 58 inches of total snow. The Tony Grove Snotel, located at 8400 feet, reports 12°F, and around 27 inches of storm snow this week, with 3.1 inches of SWE, and there's 70 inches of total snow. Winds on Logan Peak are blowing from the west-southwest in the 20s mph with gusts a bit higher. It's 7°F on Paris Peak at 9500 feet, and the wind is blowing from the southwest in the 20s mph.

Today will be a beautiful day in the mountains with sunny skies and 8500' high temps near 26°F and light winds blowing from the southwest. Expect the same tomorrow but a bit warmer.

Avalanche professionals call days like today "accident days." They are the days we wait for all year in terms of fresh powder and beautiful weather but... the snowpack setup is dangerous and people will be tempted to ride untracked steep slopes - don't do it. Make conservative terrain choices today.

We've already lost two people to avalanches this week in Utah - we don't want to lose another.

Recent Avalanches

Two tragic fatal avalanche accidents occurred in the last two days in the Wasatch Range. On Thursday, A snowmobile rider was killed in the backcountry above Midway, and an 11-year-old skier died in the backcountry near Brighton Ski Area.

Locally:

Skiers and/or snowboarders triggered at least a couple of small soft slabs on Beaver Mountain's Backside, and a snowmobile rider remotely triggered a soft wind slab in Providence Canyon on Wednesday.
A snowmobile rider triggered a large avalanche in Boss Canyon near the state line on Thursday. The rider was not caught, but the sled was...(PHOTO BELOW, pc: M Davis)
Riders on Thursday remotely triggered large avalanches in the upper Providence Canyon Area, off Red Pine Ridge in upper Richard's Hollow, and on the north shoulder of Logan Peak in Upper Spring Hollow.
A local observer triggered a small wind slab on a test slope yesterday near Little Bear.

Triggering this type/size of avalanche is likely today. You'd be lucky to survive.

For all observations and avalanche activity in the Logan zone, go HERE

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

The avalanche danger has risen significantly in the backcountry as preexisting layers of very weak snow are overloaded by heavy storm snow and drifting.

Avalanches can be triggered remotely (from a distance or below).
Avalanches failing on the weak snow could be large and unsurvivable.
Audible collapsing or whumpfs and shooting cracks indicate unstable snow.
The only way to avoid this problem is to avoid steep slopes.

This is the kind of avalanche we are talking about - large, destructive, and lethal. (pc: Wolford)

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

Avalanches of previously wind-drifted snow failing on a persistent weak layer are likely on the lee side of major ridges and in and around exposed terrain features at all elevations, particularly on upper-elevation slopes facing northwest through southeast.

Thick slabs of wind-drifted snow formed in and around terrain features like starting zones, sub-ridges, rock outcroppings, gullies, and mid-slope rollovers.
Wind slabs of stiffer, drifted snow are rounded and smooth-looking, and they often sound hollow, like a drum.
Beware if you cause cracking in stiffer drifted snow. Collapsing or whumpfing is a major indicator of instability.
Small, loose, or soft slab avalanches of new snow could overload slopes with buried persistent weak layers, triggering a much larger avalanche.
Even small avalanches can be quite dangerous if you are carried into trees or other terrain traps below.

Additional Information

Paige explains how different types of weak snow that develop during periods of benign weather can become persistent weak layers when buried by future snows. Dangerous avalanche conditions are developing as persistent weak layers are overloaded by heavy snow this week.

Travel with a partner, and cross or ride slopes steeper than 30 degrees one at a time while the rest of your group watches from a safe spot.
Ensure that everyone in the group has avalanche rescue equipment (a transceiver, probe, and shovel) and knows how to use it.

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Join the UAC for the first "Stay and Play Avalanche Course" at Bear River Lodge in the Uintas, March 19th-22nd. This course is designed for snowmobilers by snowmobilers, where you will learn avalanche rescue, riding skills, and how to survive in the backcountry. Come enjoy all the luxury offerings at Bear River Lodge and improve your skills along the way.

For all questions on forecasts, education, Know Before You Go, events, online purchases, or fundraising, call 801-365-5522.

Did you know the UAC hosts a podcast? Episode 2 of Season IX is just out - AI, Machine Learning, and the Value of Expert Intuition at the Utah Avalanche Center.

Are you interested in learning more about avalanches? Visit our education page for details on all our classes.

For more information, visit the UAC weather page here: UAC Weather Page For Logan-specific weather, go here: Logan Mountain Weather

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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.

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This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. 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.

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