Avalanche: Lanes Leap

Observer Name
Bruce Tremper
Observation Date
Thursday, January 6, 2022
Avalanche Date
Thursday, January 6, 2022
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » 10420 » Lanes Leap
Location Name or Route
Peak 10420
Elevation
9,600'
Aspect
Northeast
Slope Angle
40°
Trigger
Unknown
Depth
2'
Width
200'
Comments
Spotted what looked like a recent avalanche from an adjacent ridge. It was on the slope I believe is called Lane's Leap, which is along the spur ridge of Peak 10,420 that runs northwest from the summit down to the Guardsman's Pass winter trailhead sort of near Brighton. I'm assuming it was due to the ferocious west wind these past couple days combined with very dense new snow. It appeared to be perhaps a couple feet deep and 200 feet wide and ran along the flat part of the ridge where there is often avalanche activity in conditions like these. I'm sure there were many other avalanches in the area around me but this is the only one I could see. The slope is very steep, perhaps 40 degrees, facing northeast at 9,600 feet. I have investigated many avalanches and avalanche accidents on this slope through the years. I have attached a photo in flat light so it's hard to see but it's along the flat ridge in the foreground, Clayton Peak in the background. There were widespread roof avalanches today on all the cabins with metal roofs because of the rapidly warming temperatures combined with copious wind loading on all the cabin roofs these past couple days.
Coordinates