Avalanche: Superior

Observer Name
Griffin
Observation Date
Saturday, February 17, 2024
Avalanche Date
Saturday, February 17, 2024
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Superior
Location Name or Route
Mount superior
Elevation
10,500'
Aspect
Southeast
Trigger
Snowboarder
Trigger: additional info
Unintentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Weak Layer
New Snow/Old Snow Interface
Depth
12"
Width
50'
Comments
My group of 4 reached the top of our discussed line (just west of the top of little superior black knob. In between the summit and little superior.)
I watched a snowboarder pop a windslab while riding from the summit, over the rocky exposure. I lost sight of the snowboarder until I overheard his filmer make contact on the radio from down the ridge that he was safe and out of harms way. I than watched another rider ride the riders right line from the summit amd into the apron safely with a bit of sluff moving.
we waited till we saw everyone out of the way to drop into our line ( a south facing rib, where we rode to our previously discussed island of safety)
a wind slab popped remotely from my feet on the ridge as I was first one down. I had no idea how big it was until we reached the bottom of the run. We decided to stick to our discussed route since we had a safe way back to the most western rib of little superior that kept us out of harms way from the same southeast aspect that popped on our way down. We than proceeded down little superior with no other avalanche activity.
once reaching the road we met up with the group at the bottom that told us someone had deployed their airbag in their own sluff and that our parties wind slab had than also hit them down in the apron.
no one was buried, but definitely a big learning experience, especially dealing with a very popular line like superior on a sunny saturday morning.
I was happy with my groups decision making and route finding to get down safely. I was very bummed that someone was unknowingly in danger below, we truly had no idea and thought everyone had ridden out of harms way before we dropped.
always learning and growing. Glad everyone was safe. Photos of crown below from our first initial island of safety.