Avalanche: South Richards Hollow 1/18/2012

Observer Name:

Toby Weed

Observation Date:

01/18/2012

Occurrence Date:

01/18/2012

Occurrence Time:

11:00am

Region:

South Richards Hollow
Richards Hollow
Left Hand Fork-Blacksmith Fork
Logan

Location Name:

South Richard's Hollow

Location

41° 40' 59.4084" N, 111° 41' 48.93" W

Avalanche Characteristics

Elevation:

8900'

Aspect:

East

Slope Angle:

Unknown

Trigger:

Skier

Avalanche Type:

Hard Slab

Weak Layer:

Facets Above Crust

Depth (avg):

12"

Depth Range:

12" to

20"

Width:

80'

Vertical:

500'

Snow Profile

Snow Profile Comments:

At crown avalanche failed on a thin layer of small grained facets and perhaps some two dimensional frost or surface hoar above the dusty and crusty layer from the windy end of 2011. The avalanche swept out and entrained sugary November snow once it ran below the wind exposed top of the slope...

General Comments

Before the storm even really got going this morning, I triggered this wind slab avalanche from the flats on the ridge.... Cracks propagated from my skis down into the slope below me as the slab failed. It was very sensitive. Even though this was not a very large avalanche it ran far, entrained a fair amount of sugary or faceted snow, and would have been a very dangerous or deadly ride if you got caught..

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