After a difficult week in February that included four avalanche fatalities, UAC forecasters will host a community debrief to discuss the conditions surrounding these accidents. We will review the weather and snowpack patterns, share observations from the field, and discuss lessons learned. This event will not be live but will include time for questions, with the goal of learning together as a community. Please use this form to submit questions for review.
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The snow surface may feel supportable this morning, but will soften by the afternoon, especially on solar slopes. Temperatures stayed above freezing again last night, but were the coolest in days, thanks to a passing dry, cold front. Riding today will be about the same, with rough surfaces and punchy conditions as the snow becomes less supportable. We are still dealing with a saturated snowpack, making the timing of wet avalanches hard to predict, so your safest option is to avoid traveling on or under steep slopes.
The snow surface is very dirty and rough in most places.
The UAC Card Canyon weather station at 8700 feet reports 36°F and 46 inches of total snow. It's 41°F at the Tony Grove Snotel at 8400', with 56 inches of total snow. At 9700 feet on Logan Peak, winds are blowing from the northwest at 22 mph. It's 34°F on Paris Peak at 9500 feet, and the winds are from the west, blowing 20 to 30 mph.
Mountain temperatures will only reach about 50°F today, with light winds blowing from the west. This week, temperatures begin to climb back up into the above-normal range until Thursday, when another short-lived, dry cold front passes through.
With dangerous wet avalanche conditions, avoiding travel in avalanche terrain is the obvious best choice. And with marginal backcountry riding conditions on rough, dusty, punchy snow, today's plans might include more favorable warmer-weather activities like not skiing or snowmobiling.
Coverage up high is still good, though the snow is dirty and covered in debris in some areas after last weekend's strong and dusty wind event.
Access is getting challenging.
Friday, we observed recent natural wet activity on sunny slopes in the Tony Grove and Mt Naomi areas.
A natural, loose wet avalanche occurred Friday afternoon on Grandfather Cornice.
Find observations from the Logan Zone and from across the state HERE.
