Avalanche: West Monitor 12/22/2011

Observer Name: 
Mark white
Observation Date: 
12/22/2011
Occurrence Date: 
12/22/2011
Occurrence Time: 
Unknown
Region: 
Salt Lake
Park City Ridgeline
Monitors
West Monitor
Location Name: 
West Monitor, PC ridgeline
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Avalanche Characteristics
Elevation: 
10000'
Aspect: 
Northeast
Slope Angle: 
38
Trigger: 
Natural
Avalanche Type: 
Soft Slab
Weak Layer: 
Facets
Depth (avg): 
18"
Width: 
40'
Vertical: 
700'
General Comments

Walked up to West Monitor to see what the new snow was doing. New snow was 5" of light density being blown into softslabs by the NE winds. Saw a slide that looked like it ran not long before we got there. Winds were cranking on the ridge line slabbing up the light density snow and crossloading the area where the slide occurred.

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General Comments 2

Close up of the crown and debris pile. I think the part of the slope that slid was crossloaded by the winds and it released on weak faceted snow under the rockband when the facets could hold no more weight. Snow is so weak and thin on that slope that it didn't take much to overload the starting zone. Gouged down into the facets and had a decent size debris pile at the bottom. Ran down to the transition zone where the slope angle decreases.

west monitor avy 12-22-11 047.JPG
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General Comments 3

Cracking and collapsing noted on the slabbed up ridge line.

west monitor avy 12-22-11 074.JPG

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