UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!

Avalanche: Whitney Basin

Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Observation Date
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Avalanche Date
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Region
Uintas » Bear River Ranger District » Whitney Basin
Location Name or Route
Yamaha Hill
Elevation
9,800'
Aspect
Northeast
Slope Angle
36°
Trigger
Snowmobiler
Avalanche Type
Hard Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Depth Hoar
Depth
2.5'
Width
150'
Vertical
200'
Comments
Spotted this avalanche on Yamaha Hill driving to the forest today. Sled problems prevented me from getting photos and a closer look, so this is all from the highway using binoculars. Thinking a rider from the weekend triggered this avalanche low on the slope or from the side where the slab is thinner and weaker. Looking back a few days on the winds from nearby Windy Peak and with plenty of loose snow on the surface to blow around, this slope was fairly wind loaded and waiting for a trigger. This slope is very typical western Uintas with large open terrain on the windward side where winds can grab lots of snow and deposit onto the leeward side. The avalanche broke into weak snow near the ground, dirt and vegetation was easily seen on the bed surface.
Coordinates