Quick report
We went into today to assess conditions in the southern Wasatch and wanted to see if snow depths in the Provo area were consistent with other deeper snowpack areas in the Wasatch where the November facet layer gained strength and has become dormant. We found a nearly 2-meter-deep snowpack at 8000' and the general impression was that it was deep and consistent with that of the deeper snowpack areas in the Central Wasatch. It was evident that the area went through a significant natural avalanche cycle, with signs of multiple avalanches running nearly full path and leaving large debris piles.
Photo 1: Small Loose-dry avalanches noted on low-elevation steep gully walls.
Photo 2: Evidence of a large natural avalanche. Mid-elevation west-facing avalanche path, snow nearly 10 feet high on the uphill side of the tree, and branches were broken off.
Photo 3: Large debris pile at the bottom of a north, northwest facing avalanche path.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The only sign of instability we saw today was a few loose dry avalanches on steep slopes. These avalanches were on small, steep, isolated terrain features in gullies and near rock outcroppings and they were not entraining much snow as they ran. </p>
4" to 6" of low-density snow from the last few days of trickling moisture.