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Observation: Silver Lake Highway

Observation Date
12/17/2023
Observer Name
Hardesty
Region
Provo » American Fork » Tibble Fork » Silver Lake Highway
Location Name or Route
Silver Lake Highway
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Glorious.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Surface has weakened no doubt but not as much as other sheltered terrain I've seen. Surface hoar only noted in valley bottoms.
Red Flags
Red Flags Comments
No red flags, per se. I did not experience any cracking or collapsing. Structure I would rate as "fair to good".
Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
9,400'
Comments
Travel was from Tibble Fork reservoir to Silver Lake Flat and up along the Silver Lake Highway to 9800'.
Southerlies are well crusted and supportable, softening with the temps and sun. Northerlies are soft, turnable recrystallized powder.
Overall Low danger and profiles I dug did not seem that alarming for future avalanches necessarily stepping down into the older faceted snow. Surface also did not seem as weak as other places.
Snow depths were 80-120cm in the mid elevations up to 9800'.
Excellent sight seeing (as always) in the upper American Fork-Silver Creek zone.
  • The stunning terrain off the AF/Cottonwood ridgeline (above Silver Lake)
  • Yet to be named couloir dropping into Silver Creek (with some features similar to the Cardiff Hallway)
  • East side of Box Elder
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates