Avalanche: Mineral Fork 3/21/2011

Observer Name:

Ty Falk/Spencer Wheatley - video and snow profile a day later by Bruce Tremper

Observation Date:

03/23/2011

Occurrence Date:

03/21/2011

Occurrence Time:

Unknown

Region:

Mineral Fork
Big Cottonwood Canyon
Salt Lake

Location Name:

Mineral Fork

Location

40° 36' 47.4156" N, 111° 41' 6.2916" W

Avalanche Characteristics

Elevation:

9700'

Aspect:

North

Northeast

Slope Angle:

Alpha Angle:

Trigger:

Natural

Avalanche Type:

Hard Slab

Weak Layer:

Facets

Depth (avg):

Depth Range:

3' to

10'

Width:

500'

Vertical:

1250'

Snow Profile

Snow Profile Comments:

Profile by Bruce Tremper on 3/24/2011

General Comments

Fairly sizable hard slab in Mineral Fork. Appeared to have slid a few days ago. Crown ranged from 3'-10'+ From a quick look it seamed to go just above the MLK (Jan 16th) crust. Ran down into the basin. Photo by Ty Falk.

Bruce Tremper comments:
I investigated it the day after these photos were taken and my snow profile suggests that it broke beneath the MLK crust on facted snow. I did not investigate the entire fracture line but I dug on the looker's right flank. (see video).

General Comments 2

Next three photos by Spencer Wheatley. Note total width and long runout.

General Comments 3

General Comments 4

I took the embedded video a day after these photos were taken - Bruce Tremper

Video 4:

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