Avalanche: West Ridge 1 11/21/2010

Observer Name:

Hardesty and Kobernik

Observation Date:

11/21/2010

Occurrence Date:

11/21/2010

Occurrence Time:

2:00pm

Region:

West Ridge 1
10420
Big Cottonwood Canyon
Salt Lake

Location

40° 36' 14.5728" N, 111° 34' 3.7452" W

Avalanche Characteristics

Elevation:

9600'

Aspect:

North

Northeast

Trigger:

Skier

Trigger: additional info:

Remotely Triggered

Avalanche Type:

Soft Slab

Weak Layer:

Facets

Depth (avg):

Width:

80'

Vertical:

Unknown

Snow Profile

General Comments

Some of the weaker snow we've seen across the range. Rime crust was intermittent at best with the three slides. Photo below examining the structure at the fracture line. We remotely triggered two slides while walking the ridgeline, with the second sympatheticing another slide to the west.

General Comments 2

The photo below shows the sympathetic release on the slope further to the west. It has a bit more of an easterly component to it.

General Comments 3

This ridgeline had it all - weak snow, lion's share of the southwesterly-flow snowfall with some windloading - though not a ton. The location of a fatality I believe in 1994? -

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