It might not be the year for big spring objectives in the Provo range. The biggest clue to avalanches is other avalanches - as seen from the list of recent avalanche activity the Provo range remains active. This is mainly due to it receiving less snowfall in the early months of winter, making it more shallow than it's northerly neighbor in the Central Wasatch.
The are two layers of concern: First, is the weak faceted snow buried just underneath the February 18th dust layer. It's easy to find - dig down 2.5' in the snowpack and identify a dirty stripe of snow, just below that is a layer of weak faceted snow. The second layer, is found just above the ground - we call it depth hoar, which is a fancy name for larger grained faceted snow. In either case the avalanche you trigger would likely be unsurvivable.
It's best to avoid any and all steep northerly facing terrain. Remember, when dealing with faceted snow you can trigger avalanches from a distance. Walking beneath large steep terrain is the same as being on the slope. It's just like walking up to a large pile of wood and pulling out the bottom log and having the entire pile come crashing down on you. If you're going to travel in the Provo range be sure to read the thoughts from UDOT forecasters found HERE.
Photo: Large natural avalanche on Timpanogos by UDOT forecasters.