Avalanche: Uintas 1/5/2011

Observer Name:

Ted Scroggin

Observation Date:

01/07/2011

Occurrence Date:

01/05/2011

Occurrence Time:

Unknown

Region:

Uintas

Location Name:

Cataract Basin

Location

40° 51' 2.5056" N, 110° 42' 9.738" W

Avalanche Characteristics

Elevation:

11000'

and below

Aspect:

Northeast

Slope Angle:

Unknown

Trigger:

Natural

Trigger: additional info:

Cornice Triggered

Avalanche Type:

Hard Slab

Weak Layer:

Facets

Depth (avg):

2.5'

Width:

250'

Vertical:

600'

General Comments

Unsure of the exact timing of this and adjacent slides in the drainage. Craig Gordon taught me how to look back at the seven day winds for some of the nearby wx stations and we had sustained winds in the 30 and 40mph range which could have overloaded these slopes. It also looks like some of these large cornices broke-off and triggered these slides that likely had weak snow around the rocks.

General Comments 2

This basin faces north/northeast and has a very large open ridgeline to the west where the winds grab lots of snow and transports it onto the lee side of this area.

General Comments 3

General Comments 4

These adjacent slopes also had lots of debris with the crown line traversing over sub-ridges and gullies.

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