Avalanche season has begun. It will be possible to trigger shallow soft slabs failing on older weak snow in the upper elevation shady terrain today. These soft slabs may be 10-18 inches deep and up to 100 feet wide and may be triggered at a distance.This is according to Utah Avalanche Center forecaster Drew Hardesty on Sunday morning. He reported the following: Skies are clear. Temperatures are in the teens to the single digits. Winds are generally light from the west-northwest but are gusting in the 20s at 11,000′ feet. This last storm brought roughly 6-10 inches (0.25-0.64 inches of water) of new snow with generally light wind from the northwest. Snow depths are 15-30 inches and remain thin and threadbare and in some cases just barely covering up the rocks, stumps and deadfall. Low angle grassy slopes are the ticket.We’ll have mostly clear skies this morning with increasing clouds and southwest wind by late afternoon. Temps will rise into the 20s. Another storm is on tap but should only produce 3-6″ of snow. High pressure develops for the remainder of the week.This most recent snow and wind was just enough weight to tip the balance in very localized terrain. Two parties triggered avalanches in the backcountry Saturday, with cracking and collapsing the sure giveaway to a creaky early season snowpack.The post Avalanche Center calls beginning of the sliding season appeared first on Park Record.