Avalanche: Uintas 2/27/2010

Observer Name: 
Ted Scroggin
Observation Date: 
02/27/2010
Occurrence Date: 
02/27/2010
Occurrence Time: 
11:30am
Region: 
Uintas
Location Name: 
Lofty Lake Peak
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Location

40° 43' 42.6972" N, 110° 53' 23.9568" W
Avalanche Characteristics
Elevation: 
10800'
Aspect: 
East
and steeper
Slope Angle: 
35
Trigger: 
Skier
Trigger: additional info: 
Remotely Triggered
Avalanche Type: 
Hard Slab
Weak Layer: 
Depth Hoar
Depth (avg): 
2.5'
Width: 
250'
Vertical: 
300'
General Comments

 While decending the slope coming-off the ridgeline and looking for thin weak snow I remotley triggered this slide which released some 70-100' away.  It fractured in a steeper thin and rocky area and continued to pull-out snow in similar areas as it wrapped around the corner continuing to release snow.  The slab was a combination of 4 finger to pencil hard and the weak layer was weak faceted snow at the ground.  

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General Comments 2

 Craig's forecast for the western Uintas has continued to talk of how we trigger slides from thin snow pack areas and not where it is deeper and stronger.  I was a bit surprised to say the least when this slide was growing in size as I watched it pull out hard slab chunks and wrap around the corner. 

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General Comments 3

 The strong winds we received throughout the week have moved a lot of snow around and have created some deep wind slabs that are over loading these thin weak snow pack areas.

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General Comments 4
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