Donate to the 2024 Spring Campaign to help rebuild the UAC website.

Avalanche: Whitney Basin

Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Observation Date
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Avalanche Date
Friday, December 27, 2013
Region
Uintas » Bear River Ranger District » Whitney Basin
Location Name or Route
Yamaha Hill
Elevation
10,000'
Aspect
Northeast
Slope Angle
38°
Trigger
Snowmobiler
Trigger: additional info
Unintentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Facets
Depth
2.5'
Width
50'
Vertical
80'
Comments
Small sled triggered slide from a day or two ago. This slide again failed on the weak faceted snow in the middle of the snow pack and then stepped down into weak snow near the ground. Not a big slide and did not travel far as it ran out of slope angle, but enough to work a person over.
Comments
The right combination of strong snow over weak snow with a nice 4F plus slab resting on top of weak faceted snow about mid-pack. Once the rider found a thin weak spot on the slope and collapsed the weak layer was all it took.
Coordinates