UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!

Avalanche: Big Drift/Skyline Summit

Observer Name
Steve Cote
Observation Date
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Avalanche Date
Monday, November 30, 2015
Region
Skyline » Scofield Reservoir » Gooseberry Creek » Big Drift/Skyline Summit
Location Name or Route
Big drift
Elevation
9,700'
Aspect
Northeast
Slope Angle
37°
Trigger: additional info
Unintentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Weak Layer
Facets
Depth
1"
Width
15'
Vertical
20'
Comments

Looks like it was triggered by a snowmobile, just at the break of the ridge, Last weeks observations found that the old snow had faceted and we got a release of the of a small slab, much the same.

FORECASTER NOTE: This may have been snowmobile triggered or may have released naturally. I saw a similar cornice fall that fell naturally from recent wind loading. However, I also experienced a collapse of the snowpack under my machine in a drifted area. The collapse was due to the new drift sitting on old faceted (sugary) weak snow. Brett Kobernik

Coordinates