Avalanche: Little Superior

Temu Snow

Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Superior » Little Superior

Mt Superior

10,400'

South

Skier

Soft Slab

Wind Drifted Snow

6"

30'

While traversing across a south-facing slope at the low point between Mount Superior and Little Superior, one member of the party triggered a small slab avalanche. The skier cut across a thin section of snowpack, initiating a slab approximately 6 inches deep and 30–40 feet wide. The slab entrained additional snow as it traveled downslope. The crown and moving snow initiated below the skier’s position. The skier did not fall, lose balance, or lose vertical position on the slope and was not caught or carried by the moving debris. No injuries or equipment loss occurred. Photos document the crown and debris path. Thin and variable snow coverage near rocky features • Wind-affected snow and active wind loading • High winds reducing communication clarity between party members • Committed traverse line with limited easy reversibility Lessons Learned 1. Route Reversibility Matters Committing to a skin track over rocky or technical terrain can make retreat difficult. In some cases, reversing the skin track may be safer than skiing underneath exposed rock features or unsupported slopes. 2. Improved Communication in Wind High winds significantly reduced verbal communication. The group recognized the value of carrying reliable communication devices (e.g., walkie-talkies) to maintain clear coordination in noisy or windy conditions. 3. Exit Planning for Long or Committed Objectives When choosing a distant or complex objective, it is important to maintain a realistic and safe exit plan. In this case, the group ended up skiing steeper terrain than originally intended to exit the mountain. Given that a slide had just been triggered, this increased exposure and added uncertainty during the bailout. Outcome No injuries, no burials, and no equipment damage. The incident served as a valuable learning opportunity regarding terrain commitment, communication planning, and conservative exit strategies following avalanche activity.