Observer Name
Craig Gordon/Joey Manship
Observation Date
Sunday, February 11, 2024
Avalanche Date
Sunday, February 11, 2024
Region
Uintas » Chalk Creek
Location Name or Route
South Fork Beaver Dam Chutes
Elevation
9,800'
Aspect
Northwest
Slope Angle
42°
Trigger
Snowmobiler
Trigger: additional info
Unintentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Hard Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Ground Interface
Depth
6'
Width
600'
Vertical
700'
Caught
1
Carried
1
Buried - Fully
1
Accident and Rescue Summary
Details are vague and we didn't get to talk to the riders. In fact, they didn't even report the slide. Instead, we were alerted by a local snowmobile guiding outfit.
Walking up the path, Joey Manship and I did the CSI... (Special Uinta Unit) thing, putting the pieces together of what went down. The two large holes we discover clearly suggest at least a partial human burial, along with nearly a full sled burial.
Terrain Summary
Northwest facing slope at 9,800'. Steep, rocky, starting zone measuring 42 degrees.
Weather Conditions and History
Comments
Two snowmobilers trespassing in private terrain triggered this well connected and rather meaty slab. Heavily wind loaded NW aspect at 10,200', the slab broke 600' wide, running 700' vert... man, this thing had SNAP! Breaking to the dirt, I was pretty blown away by the connectivity of this pencil-plus, nearly knife hard slab... a rural, tree snapping repeater for sure.
Comments
Blocks of glacial density, almost knife hard snow
Joey standing on 300 cm of debris.
I bet this tree has lots of avalanche stories.
Coordinates