Utah Avalanche Center forecaster Craig Gordon outlined the state of Utah’s snowpack along with the Park City Ski Patrol Association Tuesday.
Gordon said early-season conditions mean shallow snowpack and weak, sugary snow.
“Whenever we have a thin early-season snowpack, that's when we see most avalanche accidents, incidents, fatalities,” he said. “An early-season snowpack can linger into mid-season, kind of like what we're seeing this year.”
So far, Utah’s mountains haven’t seen the big storms needed to strengthen the bottom layer of snow.
Right now there are two weak layers. One near the ground was made of weak, faceted snow back in November and December. The other higher up was formed in late January into early February.
Gordon said this is a red flag for avalanche forecasters. That’s because the top layers are strong and feel solid, hiding the weak layers.
“I think of weak layers like dominoes. They're standing up, all is good. We put a load on top of it, maybe those dominoes waver a little bit and over time they can adjust to that weight,” he said. “But if we come along and knock those dominoes over, they flip over, whoop. We trigger the snow on top.”
Gordon said this season’s unusual snowpack and weather have made for unusual avalanches, tricking experienced backcountry visitors and claiming four lives.
To avoid triggering an avalanche, Gordon said aspect, or terrain choice, is crucial.
Backcountry skiers tend to migrate toward north-facing slopes in early-season conditions because there’s more snow. However, Gordon said that’s also where avalanches are more likely.
This winter, north and northeastern-facing slopes have seen the most avalanches. This can be especially dangerous because the lack of snow means rocks and stumps can get caught in slides as well.
Gordon said conditions become dangerous when the strength of the snowpack equals the stress put on it. That happens at the peak and tail end of a storm.
“As that snow starts to gain strength. It allows us to get deeper and deeper into the avalanche dragon's den. It allows us to step into steeper, more avalanche-prone terrain. It gives us a false sense of confidence,” Gordon said.
He said anyone headed into the backcountry should choose low angle, south and southwestern terrain. Bring all necessary safety equipment, including avalanche rescue beacons, shovels and probes, and never go alone.
Avalanche danger in the Wasatch Back is considered moderate. The risk of slides is expected to increase with the next snowstorm.
