Provo

Avalanche problems

• 

  Persistent Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline

  Likelihood

  Likely

  Size

  2

  While we heard of our avalanche activity yesterday, collapsing and long shooting cracks along with damning snowpack tests are evidence enough of a generally unstable snowpack. These avalanches are what we call 'Unmanageable' - that is, they are predictable in their unpredictability: they may be triggered at a distance or from below. Note that many of these avalanches rip out mid slope and well off the ridgelines.

  Continue to give yourself plenty of margin. Travel advice would be to stick to low angle terrain until the snowpack has adjusted.

  The snowpack has a hard time adjusting with every event that adds additional stress - like the previous days' strong northwest winds along the exposed ridgelines.

  These avalanches are failing on the NFL - the November Facet Layer - and unfortunately leave plenty of faceted grains on the bed surface, waiting for the next slab of snow. These are called Repeater avalanches. Repeater slopes can be particularly tricky as they can be difficult to identify with the next blanket of snowfall.

• 

  Wind Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline

  Likelihood

  Possible

  Size

  2

  Soft and hard wind drifts can be triggered primarily along the higher elevations. These drifts may look smooth and rounded or scalloped and wavy. They may also break out above you. Look for them on predominantly north through east to south facing slopes and know that any triggered wind drift may step down into older weak faceted snow.