Avalanche: Beaver Mountain Backside 1/21/2012

Observer Name:

Jeremy Jensen

Observation Date:

01/21/2012

Occurrence Date:

01/21/2012

Occurrence Time:

2:00pm

Region:

Logan
Logan River
Beaver Creek
Beaver Mountain Backside

Location Name:

Beaver Mtn Backside Area

Avalanche Characteristics

Elevation:

8500'

and below

Aspect:

Northeast

and steeper

Slope Angle:

Trigger:

Snowboarder

Trigger: additional info:

Unintentionally Triggered

Remotely Triggered

Avalanche Type:

Soft Slab

Weak Layer:

Depth Hoar

Depth (avg):

Width:

70'

Vertical:

150'

General Comments

Powsurfer triggered. No one caught or carried.

Suspect slopes were cracking and collapsing all day. Most were not moving more than 20 feet or so if at all.

Two pockets on the same slope broke and slid on the first rider. The upper slide was 40 inches or so at the crown along rock outcroppings. 40-50 feet wide and ran 30 feet or so. The second lower slide was 36 inches deep, 75 feet wide and ran about 140 feet. Broke on a convex roll where the slope maybe reached 35 degrees. These two also caused another 50 foot pocket to crack and slightly release for 10 feet or so.

Not super threatening but certainly would be in steeper terrain or if an unsuspecting person stood below.

Photo1 - upper slide that ran behind and south of rider. Ran only 30 feet or so.

General Comments 2

Photo

Fracture on upper slide seen under the hand of rider.

General Comments 3

Second and slide a couple hundred feet below the first. (Wide angle lens makes the slope look steeper than it is) 3 foot crown running about 140 feet.

General Comments 4

Photo - Second slide fracturing underfoot.