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Forecast for the Ogden Area Mountains

Nikki Champion
Issued by Nikki Champion on
Wednesday morning, January 26, 2022
Overall the avalanche danger is generally LOW and normal caution exists. You may encounter small sensitive wind drifts at mid and upper elevations and loose-dry snow (sluffing) within the steepest terrain on wind-protected north-facing aspects.
Continue to maintain normal safe travel protocols of only exposing one person at a time to avalanche terrain. If you were to trigger a slide, your only hope of surviving will be having partners watching you from a safe location.
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Weather and Snow
Currently: Skies are clear and temperatures dropped overnight ranging in the low teens F. Winds transitioned west-southwesterly overnight with the highest gusts near 30 mph.
For today, skies will remain clear until clouds begin to build in the afternoon. Temperatures will slowly climb into the low-20s F. The northwest winds will remain about the same, with an average in the low teens with gusts below 25 mph at the mid-elevations, while averaging in the low 20s mph with gusts near 30 along the exposed ridges at the upper elevations.
Riding conditions have been yet again refreshed. Yesterday's few inches of snow fell atop both firm surfaces, as well as a weakening snow surface in protected areas. Although this means soft, dry snow can now be found on the sun and wind-sheltered slopes providing decent travel and riding conditions, the snow at and near the surface may be a potential weak layer with any future storms. With more cold clear nights in the future, yesterday's new snow will soon begin to weaken.
Recent Avalanches
No backcountry avalanches were reported. We received a few observations from the backcountry recently:
- Skyline
- Lewis Peak
- Another from Lewis Peak
- Rodeo Ridge on Ben Lomond
A common theme from these observations is the few inches of snow at the surface has weakened and turned to facets and surface hoar (photo Jonathan Melton). The weak snow at the surface is currently providing soft travel and riding conditions, but it may be a weak layer with any future storms.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Normal Caution
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Overall, avalanche danger is LOW and normal caution exists. In isolated areas you may find:
- Pockets of fresh wind drifted snow along exposed ridges at the mid and upper elevations. Although drifts will be shallow (up to 6") and not very wide, wind drifts may be sensitive if they have formed on top of weaker snow underneath.
- Fast and long-running sluffing of dry snow on steep northerly aspects. Although these sluffs won't entrain much snow, getting caught in even a small avalanche could be serious in consequential terrain.

Evaluate each slope and look for any signs of instability such as cracking in fresh wind drifts or long-running sluffs in steep terrain.
General Announcements
Who's up for some free avalanche training? Get a refresher, become better prepared for an upcoming avalanche class, or just boost your skills. Go to https://learn.kbyg.org/ and scroll down to Step 2 for a series of interactive online avalanche courses produced by the UAC.
This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.