Avalanche: Sound of Music

Observer Name
Jake Hutchinson
Observation Date
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Avalanche Date
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline » Sound of Music
Location Name or Route
Sound of Music
Elevation
9,100'
Aspect
East
Slope Angle
35°
Trigger
Skier
Trigger: additional info
Intentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
New Snow
Weak Layer
New Snow/Old Snow Interface
Depth
14"
Width
50'
Snow Profile Comments

Snowpack structure is screaming avalanche, but stability tests don't verify...This is a classic case where bullseye data should be overiding pit data. Easily triggered multiple small storm slabs on various test slopes. Experienced two very large collapses on the PC Ridge this AM.

Comments

Snow pack demands healthy skepticism at this point. Tests may give conflicting results and a solid understanding of what's been going on around the neighborhood is important. I intentionally targeted the northern end of the ridgeline as it seems not too many obs have come in from here. Ski cut avalanches were quickly entraining all new snow below and moving fast and far. I didn't see debris deep enough to bury a person, but getting knocked down and carried into the trees could prove fatal. Below pic is closeup of the facet/crust/facet/crust/facet sandwich. Small NSF sit on top of a thin rain crust, that sits on top of well developed 1.5-2mm facets that sit atop a second raincrust, with chaining facets growing downward from the bottom of it. The small < 1mm NSF on the top crust aeem weakest and most reactive in this location.

Comments

spoke to another experienced skier on my way out, they remotely triggered a large slab in North Bowl on Murdock peak while skiing adjacent, lower angle terrain. Dimensions are unknown due to visibility being poor. He mentioned it raced past him with a sizable powder cloud. Pic is debris from intentional triggered slide. Debris had enough force to break branches on a few small trees below me.

Video
Coordinates