WHERE TO SKI? We have discount lift tickets for Snowbird, Powder Mountain, Park City, Sundance, Alta, Brian Head and Wolf Mountain. Tickets were donated by the ski resorts to help UAC funding. Click on the Online Store below for details.

Avalanche: Miller Bowl 1/3/2010

Observer Name:

Willie Kern

Observation Date:

01/03/2010

Occurrence Date:

01/03/2010

Occurrence Time:

Afternoon

Region:

Miller Bowl
Tony Grove
Logan River
Logan

Location

41° 53' 12.6528" N, 111° 38' 48.3252" W

Avalanche Characteristics

Elevation:

8700'

Aspect:

North

Slope Angle:

Alpha Angle:

Trigger:

Skier

Trigger: additional info:

Intentionally Triggered

Unintentionally Triggered

Avalanche Type:

Soft Slab

Weak Layer:

Facets

Depth (avg):

15"

Depth Range:

10" to

2.5'

Width:

250'

Width Range:

250' to

350'

Vertical:

500'

Vertical Range:

450' to

500'

Snow Profile

Snow Profile Comments:

The avalanche failed on weak faceted snow which was on or near the surface during the extended late December high pressure system

General Comments

A couple very experienced backcountry skiers purposely triggered this large avalanche with a well-placed ski cut at the very top of the very steep west entrance chute. The avalanche was intentionally triggered, but it was much bigger and more dangerous than expected...

Video 1:

General Comments 2

The avalanche occurred in the very same slide path that killed local skier, Mark Miller in similar early season conditions back in 1989....

Video 2:

General Comments 3

The avalanche included the entire western half of the bowl, leaving the larger eastern half still sitting there.

Video 3:

General Comments 4

The avalanche ran well into the flats below the bowl, piling debris deeply against the sparse trees in the run-out, and over-running the site of the historic avalanche fatality.....

Javascript is required to view this map.