UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!

Avalanche: Pioneer Ridge

Observer Name
Brackelsberg / Hart
Observation Date
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Avalanche Date
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Pioneer Ridge
Location Name or Route
Pioneer Ridge
Elevation
10,100'
Aspect
Northeast
Slope Angle
Unknown
Trigger
Skier
Trigger: additional info
Intentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Weak Layer
New Snow
Depth
10"
Width
30'
Vertical
175'
Comments

We had already observed on Preston Peak that the new snow was not bonding well to the stout crust on the exposed ridge lines. On the peak and ridge below the peak, we had some cracking and movement of the new wind loaded snow on the crust. We had not observed the same lack of bonding in sheltered areas and off the ridges. We thought this issue may have been more prevalent on the southerly aspects due to wind loading from the strong NW winds.

A ski cut on the north east facing aspect of Pioneer Ridge (descending down to the Pacific Highway run at Brighton) proved that this was more widespread that we had expected.

Coordinates