Observer Name
E
Observation Date
Friday, February 12, 2021
Avalanche Date
Friday, February 12, 2021
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Brighton Perimeter » Pioneer Ridge
Location Name or Route
Marco Polo
Elevation
10,300'
Aspect
East
Slope Angle
Unknown
Trigger
Natural
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
New Snow
Weak Layer
New Snow/Old Snow Interface
Depth
14"
Width
500'
Vertical
500'
Comments
The entire rider's right side of the bowl propagated to the at least 2/3's of the slope. The weak layer appeared to be the new snow/old snow interface from yesterdays mix of graupel and rimed precipitation particles.
Of note: This Storm Slab weakness was widespread in the areas traveled today with multiple small and large Naturals and Human Triggers observed.
First photo was a small connected pocket from the Marco Polo slide, and this was on a ESE aspect on the rider's left side of the bowl. The visibility was very poor when investigating the larger crown below the summit on the right side of the slide.
Second photo is the slide that was remotely triggered when stopping at the top of a steep rollover.
Third photo is of the lower roll in the Pioneer Bowl Runout Zone.
Of note: due to poor visibility no photos of Toilet Bowl Upper and Lower that had Naturals in them. Also, it was Very Likely that there was much more activity today, but due to poor visibility it was difficult to observe more terrain.
Coordinates