Advisory: Ogden Area Mountains 	
Issued by Evelyn Lees for Wednesday - March 4, 2015 - 7:10am

Avalanche danger is MODERATE on all aspects at the mid and upper elevations in the Ogden area 
mountains. Human triggered avalanches are possible in steep terrain. 

There are three different avalanche problems:

    new snow soft slabs and sluffs can be triggered, especially where wind drifted
    damp sluffs may occur on the steep, sunny slopes
    in very isolated spots, slides could break on a buried layer of faceted weak snow

Travel Advice: Start out slow and reevaluate often. Choose tours with low angle terrain options – 
less steep than about 35 degrees - and reassess often, especially if you head into steeper terrain. 
Our below average, shallow snowpack has lots of variability.

Skies are partly cloudy this morning, with a few final snow flurries still occurring in the 
Cottonwoods. Temperatures are cold – in the single digits to low teens. The west to northwesterly 
winds are light, in the 10-15 mph range, with gusts below 20 mph. The exception is the 11,000’ peaks, 
which are occasionally gusting in the low 40s. Awesome storm totals – a fairly even 16 to 24 inches 
of powder from the Ogden area mountains south through the Provo area mountains. Water content ranged 
from an inch to 1.85 inches.

	recent activity

In the Ogden area mountains, soft slabs and sluffs were easily triggered yesterday, especially 
during the periods of heavy snowfall and in wind drifted terrain. These were large enough to bury 
a person.

Avalanche Problem 1

The new snow is rapidly stabilizing, but today you will still be able to trigger:

    Loose snow sluffs on steep slopes, large enough to carry you and perhaps bury you.
    Isolated wind slabs, especially along the higher ridge lines. These definitely could bury you.
    A few lingering new snow soft slabs on steep slopes

Avalanche Problem 2

As the strong sun comes out, the new snow will heat rapidly, and it will become easy to trigger damp 
sluffs. And a few natural wet sluffs may be possible, too. In areas with lingering clouds, some green 
housing is possible today – heating of the snow on the more northerly facing slopes. As soon as you 
see roller balls, or the snow where you are becomes damp or sticky, head for a cooler aspect or lower 
angle terrain.

Avalanche Problem 3

The most dangerous and unpredictable avalanche concern today is the chance of triggering a slide on 
a faceted snow layer. These are the slides you can trigger remotely, that can break out above you, 
or on the second or third person on the slope. Collapsing and cracking, indications of this problem, 
may or may not be present. Slopes that had a shallower snowpack before the last storm are most 
suspect, including wind scoured upper elevations.

Tim Beaman's snow profile from 3/1 indicates there are places in the Ogden area mountains with 
buried facets.

	weather

A few lingering light snow showers are possible this am, but skies will be clearing today, with 
periods of strong sun by afternoon. The northwest winds should remain light today, averaging less 
than 15 mph, with the highest peaks occasionally gusting into the 40s. Temperatures will remain 
cool – warming only into the mid 20s at 8,000’ and remaining in the single digits along the high 
ridge lines. We’re looking at a week of high pressure and warming temperatures, with more snow 
possible the middle or end of next week