Observer Name
Grainger, Dromgoole
Observation Date
Monday, February 1, 2021
Avalanche Date
Saturday, January 30, 2021
Region
Salt Lake » Mill Creek Canyon » Little Water
Location Name or Route
Upper Millcreek
Elevation
9,300'
Aspect
Northeast
Trigger
Natural
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Facets
Depth
2'
Comments
Travel through upper Millcreek, BCC and the PC ridgeline. After Friday's storm there are many natural avalanches across the landscape that failed on the Nov./Dec. drought layer (facets). We observed 3 today, all NE-facing around 9300' with 2-4.5' crowns and 2-4" of fresh snow on the bed surfaces showing mid-storm failure.
These were a good indication that the scale for the persistent facet layer in this area tipped with ~1" of water on top of the 2' slab. Many slopes that did not natural, particularly NW-E, will likely remain susceptible to human triggers with slowly-decreasing likelihood but high, dangerous consequence.
We still had exposed areas around the compass collapsing and shooting cracks today.
Pics 1-3 show 2 different ridgeline slides ~100' wide that both ran into the trees.
Comments
This slide may be mentioned by others but entails a 100' piece of the Little Water Peak NE face and connects under the midslope rock band to multiple other small paths.
Coordinates