Avalanche: Monitors 11/13/2011

Observer Name: 
mark white
Observation Date: 
11/14/2011
Occurrence Date: 
11/13/2011
Occurrence Time: 
Unknown
Region: 
Salt Lake
Park City Ridgeline
Monitors
Location Name: 
Park City Ridgeline, West, South Monitor, USA bowl
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Avalanche Characteristics
Elevation: 
10000'
Aspect: 
Northeast
Slope Angle: 
35
Trigger: 
Natural
Avalanche Type: 
Soft Slab
Weak Layer: 
Facets Above Crust
Depth (avg): 
14"
Width: 
80'
Vertical: 
800'
General Comments

Went to take a look at West and South Monitor on the PC ridgeline. Hiked up Willow and exited via USA bowl. West Monitor had three seperate slides, the larest was 80ft wide 12 to 14 inches deep and ran full track to the flats, about 800ft vertical. Looks like it ran at the end of the storm, had about 1 inch of new snow on the bed surface, looked to be triggered by a natural cornice drop. the second slide was on the steep roll-over on skiers right about half way down the slope. the two slides were not connected but looked like they ran at the same time the large one probably sympathetically released the slide on the roll-over.The third pocket was about 20ft wide and ran 3/4 track and happened after the storm,no new snow on the bed surface, trigger was also a cornice drop. We also got a small pocket to release with a cornice drop ran about3/4 track. All of the slides ran on facets sitting on a stout crust at the ground. No slides in South monitor, my thought is no trigger since no cornices were formed. Cornice drops and stress fractures noted in Scotts bowl, no avalanches.

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