Observer Name
Mark Staples
Observation Date
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Avalanche Date
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mill D North » Little Water
Location Name or Route
Little Water Peak
Elevation
9,400'
Aspect
North
Slope Angle
39°
Trigger
Skier
Trigger: additional info
Remotely Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
New Snow
Weak Layer
Graupel
Depth
14"
Width
100'
Vertical
250'
Comments
Triggered this slide just after digging a pit and getting an extended column test that fracture across the whole column after 4 light taps (ECTP4). Walked about 10 feet ahead, got a collapse, and this slide broke where the slope was a few degrees steeper about 10 feet in front of me. I didn't know for sure it would slide, but was walking near the ridge to see if the snow would show any signs of instability. It did.
Third photo shows the ECT that broke in some graupel that fell the day before. The avalanche started in that layer then broke a few inches deeper.
The reason I went to this slope was because of this avalanche which occurred the day before.
Coordinates