Avalanche: West Monitor 4/4/2010

Observer Name: 
Kevin McCurdy
Observation Date: 
04/04/2010
Occurrence Date: 
04/04/2010
Occurrence Time: 
Unknown
Region: 
Salt Lake
Park City Ridgeline
White Pine Canyon
West Monitor
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Location

40° 38' 16.764" N, 111° 34' 36.3432" W
Avalanche Characteristics
Elevation: 
9900'
Aspect: 
Northeast
Trigger: 
Natural
Trigger: additional info: 
Sympathetic Release
Avalanche Type: 
Hard Slab
Weak Layer: 
Facets Above Crust
Depth (avg): 
2'
Width: 
40'
Vertical: 
Unknown
General Comments

Mostly sunny,light sw winds

the first portion of this slide was 30' feet wide and ran the entire length of the bowl and was triggered by an intentional cornice drop. The second portion was 40' feet wide 18" to 24" deep and ran full length of the bowl and 100 yards across the flats, this slide was not so intentionally triggered. The fourth member of our party was approaching the area that we dropped the first cornice and he remotely triggered a truck sized cornice that pulled out the soft wind slab. It ran on a stout and dirty MF crust.

Cornice fall triggered the slide -

 

6-8" of new over night. becoming a little damp on the East facing by 10:30. Dry and perfect on the North facing.

This incident made us realize that it is spring and cornices definitely become a bit more sensitive.

Rating seemed right on. I would expect a decrease in wet slide danger for tomorrow but a big increase with wind slab danger if the forecasted winds and snow totals hold true.

W Monitor.jpeg
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