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Avalanche: James Peak

Observer Name
powder mtn snow safety
Observation Date
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Avalanche Date
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Region
Ogden » Powder Mountain Backcountry » James Peak
Location Name or Route
james' peak
Elevation
8,800'
Aspect
Southeast
Slope Angle
38°
Trigger
Natural
Avalanche Type
Hard Slab
Weak Layer
Facets
Depth
3.5'
Width
200'
Vertical
450'
Comments

This slide was reported on Sunday but we were finally able to get over to invesigate it today. It released next to exposed rocks. The crown ranged from 3.5' to 2' stepping down where the weeds are showing into early season facets. Initial failure was on 1mm facets. Bed surface was still very slick. Slope aspect was SSE. ECTX and CTM15Q2 were our test results at the crown. The crown face had solid ice on it from Sunday and Monday's extreme heating. Somebody thought it was a good idea to ski skier's right of the slide the same day of the occurrence. Eventhough today started out at 6 degrees and 3" of new snow, by 1200 hrs. the slope was already heating up with snow getting sticky and the rocks getting wet. Looking across from our location on N slopes we could see some small pockets had released near an uptrack.

Coordinates