Avalanche: West Bowl

Observer Name
Van Dyken
Observation Date
Friday, December 30, 2011
Avalanche Date
Friday, December 30, 2011
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Silver Fork » West Bowl
Location Name or Route
West Bowl
Elevation
Unknown
Aspect
Trigger
Skier
Depth
Unknown
Width
Unknown
Vertical
Unknown
Comments

Been out of town a week so not sure what recent snow/wind events, if any have taken place recently. Heard about a rain crust and found that pretty much everywhere. Rain crust varied from stout to thin, supportable to unsupportable, pure ice to more hard slabbish to nonexistent. Lot's of large collapses today. This pit was dug where I felt my first large collapse on the approach to East Bowl, S/SW facing.

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff233/nicandshell/IMG_6131.jpg

Comments

Nfacing riding conditions were interesting, glad I was on a board. Kind of a had to sluff manage the facet sluff that followed every turn, it was a little spooky. Was literally wallowing in facets at times. Pit was dug N facing. No CT's done on any pits. Shovel shears were very clean. Facets falling out of the walls on all aspects.

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff233/nicandshell/IMG_6153.jpg

Comments

Noticed some guys heading into West Bowl. When I looked back up I noticed they remotely pulled this little pocket. I don't even know if they realized they triggered it because they were a good ten feet past. Looked to be E facing, hard to tell.

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff233/nicandshell/IMG_6143-2.jpg

First Ob hope I did alright, thanks for all you do.

Coordinates