Observation: North Fork Provo R.

Observation Date
1/17/2016
Observer Name
Evelyn
Region
Provo » Provo Canyon » North Fork Provo R.
Location Name or Route
Aspen Grove to Stewarts Falls
Weather
Sky
Few
Weather Comments
Warm day, lots of sun. Calm where I was, up high I could see the wind still transporting snow along the ridgelines.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

The snow on any moderate to steep sunny slope got damp, and will be crusted tomorrow. Powder on the shady slopes.

Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments

The only recent avalanche activity I observed today were new, wet loose slides from the sun and warm temperatures. Most were small, a few that ran into gullies D2. Shouldn't be an issue tomorrow with increasingly cloudy skies, though will need to watch the rain/snow line on the next storm.

Comments

Wet, loose sluffs down to the Stewart's Falls trail. Localized wet loose sluffs, size D 1/2 to D2 on steep, sunny slopes at mid and low elevations in Provo area mountains. Largest wet sluffs were on the SW end of the Timp massif - they all seem to have originated in rocks, which heat faster, and funneled into gullies.

Looked at the very low elevation snow (7,200'). About 3 feet of snow, a few inches of new snow on the weaker near surface facets, not much of a load. Both layers fist hardness. Lower two feet of the snowpack got progressively stronger, mostly 1 finger to the ground.

Issue with the upcoming storm may include small wet sluffs at the lower elevations if they get rain on snow or damp snow, all aspects, with special attention to avoiding terrain traps

Ice looking nice. 2nd photo - if you look closely, you can see old snow covered debris down on the lower access trail to the water fall. One issue with the lower elevation terrain in much of the Provo area mountains is that you are often in avalanche run out zones and tracks, with the avalanche starting zones way above you. This makes it unusually dangerous during natural avalanche cycles.

Winds still drifting a bit of snow at the upper and mid elevations.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None