As always, if there’s snow in the mountains, we need to be thinking about avalanches.

We have very few observations from the Provo mountains, but the upper elevations likely mirror the upper Cottonwoods. Yesterday, Dave Kelly found 18-24" of snow near 10,000' on a north-facing slope in Upper Little Cottonwood. About 8" above the ground, small, decomposing crystals sit on a melt-freeze crust, and he got failures on this layer in an extended column test and shovel shears, matching what Trent found earlier in the week.

Slopes without old October snow have likely stabilized in the cooler temps. The main concern is northwest- through northeast-facing slopes above 9,500', where new snow sits on this weak layer. Cold nights, low November sun, and a shallow snowpack mean these slopes will keep faceting. Dig down in a safe spot and check the layering before committing to avalanche terrain.

The bottom line: It’s early season, and there’s no reason to push into steep avalanche terrain yet. Stick to lower-angle slopes, avoid traveling beneath steep terrain, and remember that even a small avalanche can have serious consequences in a shallow snowpack. There’s a long winter ahead!