Observer Name
Hardesty and Fitzgerald
Observation Date
Friday, January 14, 2011
Avalanche Date
Friday, January 14, 2011
Region
Salt Lake » Mill Creek Canyon » Wilson Fork
Location Name or Route
Reynolds to Soldier and Wilson into Alexander Basin into Mill Creek
Elevation
9,100'
Aspect
North
Slope Angle
20°
Trigger
Skier
Trigger: additional info
Intentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Weak Layer
Surface Hoar
Depth
6"
Width
30'
Vertical
250'
Comments
Classic surface hoar activity. Structure showed it's hand early on with easy tilt tests and localized collapsing. Note below how the avalanche not only released beneath the ridgeline but pulled the rug out up and above the windroll there on a 20 degree 'slope'. No sympathetic releases noted. Other minor remote releases, cracking in both the fracture line and stauchwall on slopes that did not release.
Coordinates