LOGAN — Avalanche forecasters are warning outdoor enthusiasts to use caution in northern Utah's backcountry.
The U.S. Forest Service's Utah Avalanche Center reports a "considerable" risk of triggering slides on slopes with wind-drifted snow. Toby Weed, an avalanche forecaster in the Cache Valley area said the temptation to seek fresh powder could lead to unnecessary risks.
"They really want to get into that powder, to that untracked powder right now," Weed said. "But at the same time, there are dangerous conditions, so we need to temper that and really evaluate what we're doing out there and make conservative decisions."
Weed said slopes steeper than 30 degrees pose the greatest risk. Another storm expected later this week could worsen conditions by adding weight to a weak layer underneath.
"If we stay off and out from under those kinds of slopes, then we can play all day and be just fine," he said.
Forecasters also recommend traveling with a partner and crossing avalanche paths one person at a time while others watch from a safe distance. Weed noted that recent close calls in the Wasatch range included full burials, though no fatalities have been reported.
"Because it's a low snow year and because we haven't really seen powder days like this in a while, people maybe make poor decisions based more on having a great powder riding experience than on being safe," Weed said.
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Low snow doesn't mean no avalanche risk, Utah experts say
Avalanche experts say lower snow totals this season can be misleading — just because there's less snow doesn't mean the risk has disappeared.
