Avalanche: Tanners Gulch

Observer Name
Tyler Falk
Observation Date
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Avalanche Date
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Tanners Gulch
Location Name or Route
Tanners
Elevation
8,600'
Aspect
Southeast
Slope Angle
Unknown
Trigger
Natural
Trigger: additional info
Remotely Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Weak Layer
Graupel
Depth
4'
Width
250'
Vertical
Unknown
Comments

Natural SS-NS-r-R2-D2 this morning around 5:00 am in tanners which was triggered remotely from another slide. Graupel was the weak layer which pooled off the SE rocks. Number one concern this morning as expected were windslabs on SE aspects from the NW winds. Figured I could avoid some of the winds by staying in the mid canyon area. However they were blowing just as hard as upper canyon or valley locations. Winds shifted overnight from NNW to ESE at some weather stations. Transport noticed down to 7500'. Wrong terrain for the conditions. Red flags....wind loading, recent avalanches,and possible poor snow pack structure where grapnel is. Another stand out is the three other events recently with, Chris on LSB, Aaron on Flag and Mark's slide on Cardiff Bowl which was graupel related too. Large direct action avalanches like wind slabs can be just as dangerous as persistent weak layer deep slabs.