Backcountry
“I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news here but we’re doomed in Utah for a very dangerous winter. As you can see our snowpack is completely faceted. This is basically the entire state.” – Trent Meisenheimer, Utah Avalanche Center, 12/25/24
The Utah Avalanche Center just released a video talking about their weak snowpack structure and the big storms hitting Utah this week.
That combination of weak snowpack plus big storms is going to make Utah’s avalanche problem abysmal this week and into the future.
What lead to this weak snowpack structure?
- Many weeks of no snow
- Many days and nights of cold temperatures
The above factors have turned the entire, very thin Utah snowpack in to facets
Facets are low density snow crystals that are very weak.
When you put new snow on top of facets, avalanches happen.
What can you do to mitigate this weak snowpack?
- Stay on slopes less than 30º of steepness
Please watch the above video and please be extra careful out there in the Utah backcountry this winter.
The avalanche danger in the Salt Lake area of Utah is HIGH today:
