Avalanche: Rocky Point

Observer Name
R Hamic
Observation Date
Sunday, February 18, 2024
Avalanche Date
Sunday, February 18, 2024
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Rocky Point
Location Name or Route
Rocky Point
Elevation
10,500'
Aspect
Northeast
Trigger
Skier
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Depth
2.5'
Width
60'
Vertical
300'
Comments
On our second lap from Rocky Point this morning we decided to ski cut the skiers Left line from the top. On our previous lap we had noticed significant signs of wind loading and snow transport from the SW winds.
I dropped in and cut the line across and the slope fractured and released. The fracture propagated across the entire entry of the line and it ran about 300 vertical feet. The crown has a maximum depth of roughly 2.5'.
Thankfully it fractured where I expected, but I will admit it broke much wider than I had anticipated and ran much further.
We then safely descended on skiers right on the lower angle shoulder.
Coordinates