Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Brooke Maushund
Issued by Brooke Maushund on
Wednesday morning, January 28, 2026

The avalanche danger is mostly LOW, with pockets of MODERATE danger in upper elevation N-E-S terrain where the wind has drifted snow. Watch for sensitive, soft wind-drifted slabs in exposed terrain up to a foot deep. Loose dry sluffs of weak snow, or facet-lanches, are becoming deeper and more common in steep, sheltered northerly terrain. Although small, both of these types of slides can cause a fall in/above consequential terrain.

Expect wind slabs to slightly increase in size and reactivity with the potential for new snowfall this afternoon into tomorrow.

Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
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Weather and Snow

Yesterday, cold weather persisted with mountain highs hitting the low to mid 20s F, with thin high clouds building into the evening. Winds from the west blew into the teens mph, with gusts into the mid 20s to 30s mph able to transport dry, faceted surface snow.

Today, a small system to our north will bring cloudy skies and the potential for...drumroll, please...1-3" of new snow(!) to favored areas (Ogden Skyline) later this afternoon into this evening. It ain't much, but it's honest. Less than 0.3" H2O by tomorrow morning, with the mountains East of Eden seeing the lower end of totals. Winds will be light from the west.

This persistent ridge of high pressure isn't exactly what we dream of in late January. I'd rather be getting face shots too, but I encourage you to be like the ridge, and be persistent in your season. Beacon practice, getting a lesson in garage science and sled mods from Kowboy down in Spring City, long walks into far terrain, and looking into the finer muff pot recipes with Nikki have all been on my menu lately. There won't be an excuse not to have a tuned-up machine, sharp edges, and dino nuggets at the ready when the next big snowfall comes...

Recent Avalanches

There were no reports of avalanches, but we received two excellent observations from Sunday:

- Logan Jamison on Willard Peak

- Matt Barry on Rodeo Ridge

In addition to the above, we continue to receive several excellent observations from the backcountry.

Avalanche Problem #1
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Professionals in the Ogden area are reporting the "pesky westerlies", or winds out of the west, building soft, sensitive wind slabs up to a foot deep in exposed upper elevation N-E-S terrain.

While these are more the exception than the rule today, be aware of the newer possibility of triggering an avalanche up to a foot deep that can propagate surprisingly wide. Given how stable the conditions have been with no new precipitation, take a moment to remind yourself that these are on the menu before climbing into the alpine today.

These will be most likely on along the Ogden Skyline, and less of a concern as you move east towards the mountains East of Eden.

Avalanche Problem #2
Normal Caution
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

The persistent ridge of high pressure also means persistently, generally stable avalanche conditions. Still, generally stable does not mean completely. We're mostly keeping an eye out for small slides that can knock you off your feet or machine in/above consequential terrain.

Keep an eye out for loose dry sluffs of weak snow, particularly on very steep slopes, especially where the snow remains shallow or unconsolidated. As the snow surface continues to weaken, loose dry sluffs will become more common and deeper. Managing these requires attention and strategic riding.

General Announcements

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.