Quick report
- Slope Angle
- 39°
Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 12 m
- Weak Layer
- Facets
- Trigger Type
- Natural
- Vertical Fall
- 305 m
- Avalanche Type
- Wet Loose
- Slab Thickness
- 30 cm
- Start Zone Aspect
- Northwest
- Avalanche Problem
- Wet Snow
- Start Zone Elevation
- 1890 m
This slide in Snowslide Jr. in central Provo Canyon was triggered by continued light rain at low elevations. Over the last couple weeks, the snow at the lowest elevations up to about 7500' in the Provo mountains has been subjected to the very cold temps below the inversion. Rot rot rotten, this stuff had no chance once the rain started. This slide hit the Provo river and covered the bike/hike trail with very dense debris for over 50'.
Many other slides of this nature occurred in a widespread low elevation WL cycle beginning at about 10am lasting most of the day. Numerous slides hit the road on SR92 both naturally and with ski cuts causing multiple closures. Below are two slides that hit the creek on the way up to Sundance.
The ice climbs were also a hazardous place to be today in Provo. Many are located below steep confined gullies in this low elevation band. I saw lots of large ice formations that broke away from the rocks today. This photo below of the Wildwood Couloir is not near the ice climbing but is similar to the types of confined tracks.
As I said earlier, this was mostly a low elevation event. We didn't get very good visibility up high but from the looks of the tracks and runouts of the bigger paths, I dont think there was much activity above 8500'. I hope to learn more tomorrow along with finding out how high it rained.