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Observation: Rock Canyon

Observation Date
3/5/2023
Observer Name
Dave Jarvis
Region
Provo » Rock Canyon
Location Name or Route
Provo Rock Canyon
Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
It looked like at least a foot of fairly low density snow in the last two days.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
Sundays storm lasted on and off till after noon. The valley cleared by 1pm, and the mountains were mostly clear
by 2-ish.
Comments
I left the Rock Canyon trailhead at a late 3:00 PM. The location of the marker on the map is at a potential choke-point at the bottom of Hale draw. A steep area with abundant open slab rock on the North side of Y Mountain. It has been heavily loaded all Winter without any slides to clear it out. At about 7600' there is an area of snow slab that had moved some but stopped before dropping onto steeper sloping area. It looked like about two foot deep of a slab. I do wonder if it had moved on Sunday. It looked a bit dusted. I think the location is still shaded all day.
North of the trail (& marker) there are three deep slots in the rock that all had multiple rollers from direct Sun.
About 40 yards due East of the marker is a wide open slope that was covered by fresh rollers. Another 150' east of that was an area of rollers that entrained some snow that slid to the base of the hill.
The Sun has moved far enough North that many of the North aspect slopes are getting extended warming.
My Roller test slope built some very large rollers.
I stopped at Second Right Hand Overlook. The Crows Foot Couloir had run again. There were several areas of
rollers on the Cascade face east of the campground. And a couple of dry sluffs on a steep slope on a lower area
North-East of Provo Peak massif.
Hale Draw and the areas of trail (lower in Rock Canyon) that are below extended steep slopes are as usual a concern to me. Throw in Sun and a warm day... Yea, could get lively.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates