Although it’s still really early in the 20-21 season, it appears much less snow has accumulated on upper elevation slopes than we’ve seen at this date in the past several years. Yesterday, we found a bit less than a foot of new snow covering up the rocks, with no old snow at all. The forecast calls for a "a train of storm systems" in the next week or so, and we expect more snow to accumulate on upper elevation slopes. We may assume that this is good news because there is no October layer to “rot out” as is a common early season scenario on upper elevation slopes, but actually it's really still too early to tell, and we'll have to watch the development of the snowpack carefully.

There is not yet enough snow to cause much risk of avalanches on most slopes now, but shallow, early season snow conditions can still be quite dangerous. Just in the past week, shallowly buried rocks are to blame for the tragic death of a Bozman woman who died while skiing a steep chute in the Montana backcountry (info here). Also, for that of a British Columbia snowboarder who was killed by head trauma in a “freak backcountry accident” while skiing on his splitboard in relatively flat, rolling terrain. He was found with his helmet off his head and on his backpack (info here).

As snow starts to accumulate in the Utah Backcountry, it’s a good idea to tone it down because it’s pretty easy to get hurt in the early season. Do not be overcome by powder fever. I know, it's been a long time and you’re chomping at the bit, but it’s absolutely the worst time to ruin your whole season. Here are a couple tips: