February 18, 2007 - 7:05 am SUMMARY >>> The avalanche danger remains CONSIDERABLE on slopes over 30 degrees especially on north through south east facing slopes. The wet avalanche activity may again rise to MODERATE on the sun-exposed slopes with daytime heating. Forecaster: Drew Hardesty CURRENT CONDITIONS >>> Yesterday was the eighth day in a row with human triggered avalanches and my money is on today being the ninth. Under clear skies, temperatures are in the low to mid 20s and the pre-frontal southwesterly winds are blowing 30-40 mph with gusts into the 40s. Talking about the skiing and riding conditions would seem to cheapen the avalanche message, so Ill just leave it at that. RECENT AVALANCHES AND SNOWPACK INFO >>> Im sorry to report the fatalities of three Utah men in three separate snowmobile avalanche accidents yesterday. A 16 year old was killed by trauma when three were caught and carried in an incident near Tower Mountain in the Uintas above Heber City. Our forecaster for the Uintas Craig Gordon will be out looking at the accident and should have an accident report by tonight. Another accident occurred high on the Sevier Plateau east of Richfield, and a third Utah man was killed in an accident near Palisade Peak in Bonneville County, Idaho. Over and above the fatalities, we heard about three very experienced skiers having close calls after triggering and being caught in avalanches across the range. A lone skier on his third lap off Cardiac Ridge in upper Cardiff Fork of Big Cottonwood Canyon survived a 1000 ride down the slope after he triggered a 2-4 deep and 300 wide hard slab. It reportedly broke some ways above him on his 10^th turn down the steep northeast facing slope, at elevation 10,600. Another skier unintentionally triggered a hard slab on the steep east facing bowl of Little Water Peak, a peak at 9600 along the Mill Creek/Big Cottonwood divide. With two previous tracks on the slope, it broke out 16 deep and 100 wide, carrying the skier into the aspens below. The third skier going for a ride occurred in the backcountry adjacent to Powder Mountain, but details are thin at this point. Other unintentionally triggered slides pulled out on Little Superior Buttress by permitted? snowmachiners in upper Cardiff Fork, mid-Grizzly Gulch adjacent to the Alta Ski area, and a cornice breaking 10 back from the ridge, nearly swallowing a ski tourer above West Monitor bowl along the Park City ridgeline. The boxcar did trigger a 18 deep and 100 wide new wind drift. Explosive control work at the ski areas are also pulling out monsters into old snow up to 6 deep and 500 wide in mostly uncompacted terrain. AVALANCHE CONCERNS >>> Most of the avalanches are pulling out on northwest through east through southeast facing slopes above about 9500, though collapsing of weak layers continues on all aspects. Were only a week past an avalanche warning and only two days beyond a natural avalanche cycle with a high danger. It should also send a message that very experienced people, including a few snow safety personnel are getting caught in avalanches. Its a very difficult situation in the backcountry. Ski cuts are not very effective. Cornice drops are marginally effective and are even more precarious with the warming temperatures. Other tracks are not indicative of stability. The only course of action is to stay on low angle terrain and remember that avalanches may still be triggered at a distance, or on steeper terrain above you. MOUNTAIN WEATHER >>> Well have clear skies in the morning with clouds rolling in for the late afternoon. 8000 and 10,000 temps will rise to near 40 and near 30, respectively. The southwesterly winds will continue to blow 30-40mph until the cold front pushes through early tomorrow, with accumulations of 6-10 possible. Another storm is lined up for later in the week.