Avalanche: Flagstaff Ridge 4/19/2011

Observer Name:

Patrick

Observation Date:

04/20/2011

Occurrence Date:

04/19/2011

Occurrence Time:

Unknown

Region:

Salt Lake
Little Cottonwood Canyon
Flagstaff Ridge

Location Name:

Little Cottonwood Canyon Alta Periphery Top of Flagstaff Mountain entering into Days Fork

Avalanche Characteristics

Elevation:

10200'

and below

Aspect:

West

Slope Angle:

Trigger:

Skier

Avalanche Type:

Cornice Fall

Weak Layer:

New Snow/Old Snow Interface

Depth (avg):

10"

Width:

35'

Vertical:

350'

Snow Profile

Snow Profile Comments:

6 inches of medium density snow on top of 2 feet of wet snow not refrozen in most spots. Probing with ski pole was able to drop to the handle with four or five probes.

General Comments

Photo is of large cornice formed from storm on April 18th looking across at Emma Ridge.

General Comments 2

It's very possible two skiers ahead of me kicked the cornice before descending into Days. It could also be a combination of natural activity during the storm and test evidence. I also stomped a section that ran on top of the snow for about 100 feet. Not smart on my part! It broke similar to the report from Honeycomb 4/19, I did not fall over the lip thankfully. I turned around descended Toledo bowl safely producing some minor surface sluffing. Sensitive up high lots of wind packed those cornices higher than I had expected.