Avalanches close Logan Canyon, North Ogden Divide; Little Cottonwood Canyon reopens

LOGAN — Avalanches closed parts of the North Ogden Divide in Weber County and Logan Canyon Friday, while Utah Department of Transportation crews have reopened Little Cottonwood Canyon after avalanche mitigation work.

Cpl. Jerry Hardy with the Utah Highway Patrol said one car was stuck in the Logan Canyon slide, which happened around 6:30 a.m. Friday. Troopers were able to dig out the car and get it on its way, and no injuries were reported.

The slide was covering both lanes. Hardy said the avalanche was smaller, but troopers were taking precautions as crews evaluate conditions in the canyon.

Eastbound lanes were shut down at the mouth of the canyon in Logan while westbound lanes were closed at milepost 490 in Garden City. Crews do not expect to reopen the highway Friday and asked drivers to avoid the area.

This will be of top concern this weekend with FEET of new snow falling on a weak base. #utwx

A natural avalanche hit and crossed both lanes of Highway 89 at the Dugway in Logan Canyon early this morning, and the road is currently closed. EXTREME avalanche danger in this area. https://t.co/eBjN71lcYd

— Matthew Johnson (@KSL_Matt) January 12, 2024

 North Ogden Divide closed due to slide

In Weber County, an early morning avalanche closed the North Ogden Divide.

Weber County dispatch confirmed that road crews saw the avalanche Friday morning. The North Ogden Divide will be closed through Monday. No injuries had been reported. 

Powder Mountain, Beaver Mountain closed Friday

Powder Mountain and Beaver Mountain resorts announced they will not open on Friday.

“Snow removal and mitigation will take place at the resort throughout the day,” Powder Mountain posted on Facebook. “We have received 15″ + in the past 24 hours, and our weather stations are reading 30-40mph winds.”

UDOT has also closed state Route 158, which leads to the resort, due to weather conditions.

Beaver Mountain said lift and mountain operations will not be possible due to the U.S. 89 closure in Logan Canyon.

Mountains across northern and central Utah are under an avalanche warning through Saturday morning.

“Strong winds and heavy snowfall have created dangerous avalanche conditions,” the Utah Avalanche Center said. “Avalanches failing on a widespread persistent weak layer buried under the new snow are very likely. Stay off of and out from under slopes steeper than 30 degrees.”

The northern tip of the Wasatch Mountains is facing an extreme avalanche risk, according to the Utah Avalanche Center, which said blizzard conditions are expected to increase danger on Friday, “especially in the central and northern Bear River Range.”

The blizzard warning in the area is in effect through early Saturday.

Little Cottonwood avalanche work

S.R. 210 was closed Friday morning as UDOT crews conducted avalanche control work in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Crews opened the road just after 8:30 a.m.

Drivers dealt with heavy traffic near the mouth of the canyon all morning, and resort officials recommended an early departure of before 3 p.m. to avoid downhill traffic and any closures for potential avalanche control work.

Contributing: Bridger Beal-Cvetko