Check out our Holiday Auction - Sign Up for the Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop (USAW)

Avalanche: Monster

Observer Name
Kobernik - D Beck
Observation Date
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Avalanche Date
Monday, January 13, 2014
Region
Skyline » Ephraim Canyon » Monster
Location Name or Route
Upper Ephraim Canyon
Elevation
10,400'
Aspect
Northeast
Trigger
Snowmobiler
Avalanche Type
Hard Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Facets
Depth
4'
Width
300'
Vertical
200'
Caught
2
Carried
2
Buried - Partly
1
Comments

A snowmobiler was climbing a hill and he got stuck. A second sledder parked below and was walking up the track of his stuck buddy. A third climbed up and was a little higher than the stuck sledder when the slab released. The sledder that triggered the slide was able to grab the throttle and out run the avalanche. The other two were caught. The original stuck rider reported that he was doing backstroke swimming motions to help keep above the surface. He briefly submerged but popped up again. The rider that was walking up the sled track was caught, carried a short distance and buried to his waist. Everyone ended up uninjured and rode home.

Comments

There were very large chunks in the debris since the avalanche didn't run very far.

Comments

The crown face ranged from 3 to 5 feet deep.

Coordinates