Observer Name
Kobernik
Observation Date
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Avalanche Date
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork
Location Name or Route
North of Holy Toledo
Elevation
9,900'
Aspect
West
Trigger
Natural
Avalanche Type
Hard Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Depth Hoar
Depth
3.5'
Width
200'
Vertical
500'
Comments
Wind loading overloaded a shallow pre-existing snowpack on this west facing aspect. The fracture line ranged from 2.5 to 5 feet in depth. We were a bit surprised to see an avalanche like this on this aspect but after considering the recent wind directions and the known shallow snowpack on the west faces, it all makes sense.
Comments
There was a shallow crown face above the large crown face. It's possible that a smaller natural avalanche ran and triggered the larger slide.
Coordinates