Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Weather Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Class List UAC Class List Online Classes Resources and Tutorials Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation: Box Elder

Observation Date
3/21/2020
Observer Name
Wilson, Dunn, Hardesty
Region
Provo » Box Elder
Location Name or Route
Box Elder NE chute > White Canyon
Weather
Sky
Broken
Weather Comments
Stayed cool, with calm winds. Clear with a few clouds in the morning, overcast mid afternoon and everything in between
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
12"
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
North above 8,400 feet stayed soft and dry, and the foot of dense graupelly snow skied well. 1.35 inches of water isn't bad for Provo!
Northeast aspects had a friable crust that skied fine, but east through south (and presumably west) had a supportable crust capping the storm snow.
Yesterday's melted surface had a solid refreeze last night, and the cooler temps and increasing cloud cover today kept wet activity at bay. Although low elevation surfaces were damp on the outrack this afternoon, we didn't see any new point releases on solar aspects.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Red Flags Comments
One slab avalanche, shown below, on NE at roughly 9,800. Likely triggered by a loose avalanche coming over the cliff band, and we suspect it might have failed on pooled graupel from the middle of March. SS-N-R1-D1.5-I, maybe 10-20” deep and 90' wide? Second photo shows slab in the upper portion, and dry loose near the bottom of the image.
Quick tests in the upper snowpack showed failure 2 failure plains: on stellars within the new storm snow, and at a graupel interface about a foot down. Neither propagated a fracture, and both were well behaved in the steep lines off Box Elder summit. No signs of wind loading.
Photos:
Evidence of limited wet-loose activity from Friday
Early-ish start to avoid crossing steep southern aspects if they had warmed up. Turned out not to be a problem.
Not much snow left on lower elevation solars.
Beautiful Box Elder!
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None