Forecasters urge caution as avalanche danger remains high along Wasatch Front

LOGAN CANYON – Along the turnoff for Tony Grove, snowmobilers like Mike Baldwin and Mike Jacobsen were among the many, enjoying Utah’s backcountry Tuesday.

“Been itching to get out all year, but the snow just hasn’t come until this past weekend, finally,” Jacobsen said.

Jacobsen and Baldwin say they carefully check the conditions before heading out, making sure to take all the proper safety gear in avalanche packs, probes, shovels, beacons, and radios.

“Just, watching out for the avalanche danger and just try and get some riding,” Baldwin said. “Making sure that we know where all the riders are all the time. And don’t just take off by yourself.”

Forecasters with the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center are urging people to take similar precautions as the danger remains high along the Wasatch Front. Director, Paige Pagnucco says a combination of the holidays, sunny weather, and new snow tend to draw large numbers of people to the backcountry.

“Everybody wants to get out and ride because we’ve been powder-starved for the early season,” Pagnucco said. “But avalanche danger is really high across the northern mountains right now, so we’re advising people to stay out of avalanche terrain completely.”

Pagnucco says a combination of factors is making for an especially unsafe top layer of snow right now.

“We had early-season snow and then went through a dry spell,” she explained. “We’ve got weak preexisting snow on the ground before this last storm, and now we’ve added a ton of weight to that snowpack. And it’s just not adjusting quickly. It’s unstable and will be for a while to come.”

Pagnucco says it can be weeks or even months before the snow stabilizes. Until then, she asks people to be patient and careful; always checking conditions on their website before heading out.

“We all love the snow, but we just have to let the snowpack adjust and get more stable before we can get out on the steeper slopes,” she said.