UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!

Avalanche: Red Pine Gulch

Observer Name
Andrew Bentz
Observation Date
Saturday, January 5, 2019
Avalanche Date
Saturday, January 5, 2019
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Red Pine Gulch
Location Name or Route
Small Pass
Elevation
10,000'
Aspect
West
Trigger
Skier
Depth
15"
Width
25'
Carried
1
Comments
Triggered a wind slab while traversing on the west side of Small Pass as we (party of 3) were descending to ski something under the Pfeifferhorn. We traversed across the steep slope one at a time and two of us gathered at a small ridge. The first person proceeded from that spot and I continued shortly after. The slab immediately pulled out and took me for a ride. I slid about 100 feet down the slope and came to a stop. One of my skis was stuck in the snow, but I was fine otherwise. We then decided to end our day as the wind slab problem seemed widespread. I should add that on the way to Small Pass we crossed paths with a guy that had triggered a larger wind slab on an east facing slope close to where we were later that day. He lost his poles in the slide and was headed out.