Rain rain, and more rain

The avalanche danger today is CONSIDERABLE today which means we should all get out and ski! Wait know, actually more avalanche fatalities happen when its CONSIDERABLE then High or Extreme because more people go out and usually take bigger risks than they should. This picture on the left is of a crown line (the point of separation from the sliding slab and the not sliding slab) from a very hard wind slab that I sent last year in the powder parks with an average slope angle of 28 degrees. Even at such a low angle and a very slow speed this particular slab went crashing into the aspens below sounding something like a D-10 bulldoser making a road.

Check out the full report on todays danger at:
http://utahavalanchecenter.org/advisory/slc

I also want include a exerpt from todays post that clearly shows the point previously stated, here it is:
"While many slopes were skied, boarded and snowmobiled uneventfully yesterday, there were at least 4 backcountry incidents. In the Granny Chute of Wolverine Cirque, the 3rd ski cut popped out 6 to 12 inch deep new snow slab about 200ft wide (10,600, N facing, not caught). In a steeper section of Hide-a-way Park (the ridge between Days and Silver) a triggered pocket turned into a large sluff, carrying a skier through trees, resulting in a partial burial and injured knee (9,400, N facing). Toledo Chute was human triggered 1/2 way down, with the sluff entraining snow and widening to full width (SE 10,000'). And finally, a pocket (approx 50ft wide by 1.5 ft deep) triggered in a shallow, rocky spot on north facing Kessler resulted in a short ride."

Without looking at the weather stations I'd say you want to stay about about 8000ft due to the rain line being about 7500ft. Also with densities in the 10-15% range, its going to be pretty creamy. I'm still going to bring my fat ski's though. A great place to get a detail outlook on whats happening on the micro level with temps, snow accumulation, wind loading is as follows:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/current/meso.slv.php if you back track a little you can find LOTS of info including snowtells, LCC/BCC forecasts and more. Everything you need to know.

These pictures represent the wrong places to ski today. Be safe! Soon I'll have some stories to add, promise.