Observer Name
Malone
Observation Date
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Avalanche Date
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Rocky Point
Location Name or Route
Rocky Point
Elevation
10,400'
Aspect
Northeast
Slope Angle
36°
Trigger
Skier
Trigger: additional info
Intentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Weak Layer
New Snow/Old Snow Interface
Depth
2'
Width
60'
Vertical
200'
Comments
We were touring in the Rocky Point area and had skied one run on a lower angle sub-ridge. Noted some natural point releases in the steeper terrain (sluffs only). Snow was slightly upside down, with a soft wind skin on surface, overlying low density settled powder. Winds were increasing and backing to the SW, gusting to strong, with active wind loading onto the North and Northeast slopes. Observed some cracking in wind loaded areas. We wanted to see how reactive the wind slab was to a ski cut. The slab felt a bit stubborn initially, but once it released it propagated 2' deep x 60' wide and ran about 200'. Debris was soft. Photo makes this avalanche look larger than it was as the crown is in background and remaining cornice in foreground. SS-AS-D1.5-R2-I. Snowfall was increasing as we finished our walk, and winds remained strong. I expect hazard to be high at mid and upper elevations by tomorrow due to wind slab and storm snow.
Coordinates