Observer Name
Bilbow
Observation Date
Saturday, March 19, 2022
Avalanche Date
Saturday, March 19, 2022
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork
Location Name or Route
Mill D
Elevation
9,000'
Aspect
Northeast
Trigger
Snowboarder
Trigger: additional info
Unintentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Facets
Depth
18"
Width
80'
Carried
1
Snow Profile Comments
Failed at the PWL.
Comments
Was caught, slid 20 feet but managed to get a hold of a branch and hang on. The slide ran for approximately 200 ft through the timber.
Takeaways: Any momentary lapse in judgement is unacceptable. Just because I enjoyed skiing similar aspect and slope angle 1500 vert higher doesn't mean I should lower my guard. Conditions can change rapidly and I should have took into account the higher ambient temperature which had yielded a slightly wetter, more dense and cohesive slab at the lower elevation. Lastly, just because I made a small ski cut where I thought it would go and didn't get any signs of instability, doesn't mean it won't slide two turns down.
Coordinates