Discount lift tickets for Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude, Deer Valley, Snowbasin,and Beaver Mountain are now available, donated by the resorts to benefit the Utah Avalanche Center. Details and order information here. All proceeds go towards paying for avalanche forecasting and education!
It's warm this morning with mountain temperatures in the mid 40's F and barely below freezing at 11,000 ft. Winds increased overnight and this morning are blowing 15-20 mph gusting 30-45 from the SW.
Slopes with a southerly aspect have been getting damp each day. Northerly facing slopes have become more supportable as the snow from last weekend has settled. On these northerly/shaded slopes, the snow surface has started faceting.
Read a quick summary of the storms and avalanche activity during the last week HERE.
With less snow in the Provo area mountains than a bit further north, there have been few observations. We are relying on activity and observations in other places to give us an indication of what is happening at the higher elevations of the Provo area.
Two avalanches were reported yesterday. One was caused by a falling conice. A skier was on Honeycomb ridge, and a cornice broke near him which caused a slide about 20 inches deep failing on facets. Please be extra careful near ski area boundaries. Another slide happened in Dry Fork where a large group was skiing. Three people were skiing. When the fourth skier entered the slope, an avalanche about 80 feet wide and about 2 feet deep broke and caught all four. None were buried our injured.
Additionally, people reported collapsing yesterday in Willor Fork, near Guardsman Pass, in Cardiff Fork, and in Georges Bowl. Collapsing is the exact process that causes a persistent slab avalanche to release, except the slope isn't steep enough to slide. Consider reports of collapsing just as important as hearing about recent avalanches.
Find a full list of all recent avalanches here.