Avalanche: UFO Bowls

Observer Name
Kobernik
Observation Date
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Avalanche Date
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Region
Provo » American Fork » UFO Bowls
Location Name or Route
UFO bowls
Elevation
9,500'
Trigger
Natural
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Facets
Width
125'
Vertical
700'
Comments

This is another example of an avalanche that pulled out mid way down the slope. The UAC forecasters speculate the reason is that there is more wind crusts and slabs that are giving the upper starting zones a little more strength over the persistent weak layers. Our storm from mid January wasn't enough to overload many of these starting zones. Farther down the slopes where the previous crusts and slabs were not present, it didn't take as much weight to make them fail. This means that the upper starting zones that didn't avalanche are still holding the buried persistent weak layers.

Comments

Nice pile of debris spitting out of the gully.

Coordinates