Avalanche: Ben Lomond - Chilly Peak Slabs 1/17/2011

Observer Name: 
Doug Wewer
Observation Date: 
01/17/2011
Occurrence Date: 
01/17/2011
Occurrence Time: 
Unknown
Region: 
Ogden
Location Name: 
Ben Lomond - Chilly Peak Slabs
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Location

41° 21' 18.594" N, 111° 55' 3.1908" W
Avalanche Characteristics
Elevation: 
8200'
and below
Aspect: 
Northeast
East
Slope Angle: 
Unknown
Trigger: 
Natural
Trigger: additional info: 
Repeater
Avalanche Type: 
Wet Slab
Depth (avg): 
unknown
Width: 
100'
Vertical: 
1750'
General Comments

Stuck to the cross-country trails today.  Observed numerous wet slabs that released near Chilly Peak, SE of Ben Lomond.  Most released on the rock slabs just above the groomed cross-country trails at North Fork Park.  These were likely lubricated by the rain overnight.  Most of the slides were on E to NE aspects, started near 7200' and ran about 400 vertical feet.  Width was about 80-150 feet.  Couldn't see the crowns well enough to estimate.

The light was really flat and the slides were difficult to photograph.  Streams are running and undercutting the groomed trail in places.  Rain runnels were visible nearly everywhere.  Lots of glide cracks on the edges of the slides, and throughout the rock slabs surrounding the slabs.

It appears that we lost a good 6-8" from the lower elevation snowpack over the 3-day weekend.

Overview.jpg
General Comments 2

 Close up shots of Slide #1

1_DSC03127.jpg
1_DSC03139.jpg
1_DSC03155.jpg
General Comments 3

Close ups of Slide #2.

Slide #2 is of interest:  It appears to have started up high, near 8200' and looks like it may have failed on the buried SH layer, then gouged down and entrained snow down the zero G Chute.  This is possibly the third large avalanche that has travelled through this chute in the past 3-4 weeks.

2a-Crown_DSC03143.jpg
2b_DSC03165.jpg
2c_DSC03153.jpg
2d_Debris_DSC03134.jpg
General Comments 4

Slides 2, 3 and 4 are visible in the first photo.

The last photo is a closeup of Slide 4.

2-3-4_DSC03169.jpg
3_DSC03151.jpg
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