LOGAN – The Utah Avalanche Center is warning of dangerous avalanche conditions across all of Utah mountains this weekend including the mountains near Logan. The warning is in effect from today until 6 a.m. MST Monday for the mountains of Utah and southeastern Idaho.
Two tragic fatal avalanche accidents occurred in the Wasatch Range on Thursday, a snowmobile rider was killed in the back county near Midway and a 11-year-old skier died near the Brighton Ski Area.
The center reported Cache Valley skiers and snowboarders have triggered and at least a couple of small soft slabs on the back side of Beaver Mountain.
Skiers and/or snowboarders triggered a soft wind slab in Providence Canyon on Wednesday. One the same day a snowmobile rider triggered a larger avalanche in Boss Canyon of Franklin Basin. The rider was not buried, but the sled was damaged.
On Thursday a snowmobile operator remotely triggered large avalanches in the upper Providence Canyon Area, off Red Pine Ridge in upper Richards Hollow and on the north shoulder of Logan Peak in Upper Spring Hollow.
Toby Weed of the Utah Avalanche Center issued a warning on Friday telling outdoor recreationalists to be careful.
“People are likely to trigger dangerous avalanches, and avalanche accidents are likely in the backcountry,” he said. “There is considerable danger on many upper and mid-elevation slopes, with a slab of this week’s drifted storm snow overloading a widespread layer of weak faceted snow in many areas.”
Weed cautioned backcountry skiers and snow machine operators about areas with very dangerous conditions, high danger on drifted upper elevation slopes facing northwest through east.
“Avoid travel in upper elevation avalanche terrain; stay clear of avalanche runouts and off of and out from under slopes steeper than 30°,” he said. “This week’s heavy snowfall and strong winds overloaded preexisting weak layers, creating a high avalanche danger across the entire state.”
As the weather improves this weekend, avalanche accidents are likely in the backcountry Weed said.
For more information, visit the UAC weather page here: UAC Weather Page. For Logan-specific weather, go here: Logan Mountain Weather.
Information provided could save lives, especially if someone witnesses or triggers an avalanche. To report an avalanche or submit an observation from the backcountry, go to the Utah Avalanche Centers website: utahavalanchecenter.org.