Steve and I tried Ephriam canyon today, Bluebell and adjacent slopes were all mucked up by snomobiles, so we tried the next drainage south, South Willow Creek. We found 1000'+ shots Steve named the "89 chutes" because you can see them from Highway 89. Very sheltered due north facing 10,000' down to 8900'. Fairly confident with old snowpack, poked down 3-4' and confirmed very strong pack. Current and future problem will be Thursdays new snow that has settled to 8" and is rotting away. Sun has been busy on south facing creating breakable crust sandwiches we stayed off. Total pack 170 cm (67") at 9900'. Steeper roll-overs surface snow would sluff with ski cut, but skiing was excellant.
No natural activity noted, even in north facing 50+ degree slopes above Great Basin Experimental Station, http://www.utahheritage.com/press_releases/2005/pr-05-23-2005.htm . Temps have remained cool enough that snow is still very cold in sheltered areas of canyon, but today as we exited into sunny flats at bottom was turning to encyclopedia snow.
Sunny cool day with no wind in area we were in. Exit shot back to snowmachines was unbelievable long, one of the longest sustained runs I have skiied on the Plateau.
No natural activity noted, even in north facing 50+ degree slopes above Great Basin Experimental Station, http://www.utahheritage.com/press_releases/2005/pr-05-23-2005.htm . Temps have remained cool enough that snow is still very cold in sheltered areas of canyon, but today as we exited into sunny flats at bottom was turning to encyclopedia snow.
Sunny cool day with no wind in area we were in. Exit shot back to snowmachines was unbelievable long, one of the longest sustained runs I have skiied on the Plateau.
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