Check out our Holiday Auction - Sign Up for the Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop (USAW)
Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills On-Snow Courses Resources and Tutorials
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Avalanche: Big Provo Cirque

Observer Name
Nalli
Observation Date
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Avalanche Date
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Region
Provo » Provo Canyon » North Fork Provo R. » Big Provo Cirque
Location Name or Route
Timpanogos East Ridge
Elevation
10,100'
Aspect
Southeast
Slope Angle
39°
Trigger
Natural
Avalanche Type
Wet Loose
Avalanche Problem
Wet Snow
Weak Layer
Wet grains
Depth
8"
Width
50'
Vertical
1,250'
Comments

This slide on the sunny side of the Big Provo Cirque occurred around 13:00. The temp at this time a couple miles to the south on Cascade Peak at a similar elevation was 35F. Similar slides to this happened today on aspects E-SW in Roberts Horn, the SE and E Chutes of Elk Point, and on the west side of Timpanogos. Not a huge WL cycle considering the rapid warming but still notable.

I didn't notice any of theses slides stepping into deeper layers but I did hear of a report of a skier triggered HS at 10,100' in Shingle Mill, SE aspect, 100'wide. The facets that formed both during Feb. and Jan, while rounding and gaining strength, still persist at all elevations. They seem dormant for now but I think you could get unlucky with them in shallower areas.

Comments

I dug this pit on a SE aspect in Shingle Mill at 9300' about 2 weeks ago. No propagation with ECT's but I was still getting sudden planar Q1 shears with CT's.

Coordinates