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Avalanche: Uintas

Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Observation Date
Friday, February 25, 2022
Avalanche Date
Friday, February 25, 2022
Region
Uintas
Location Name or Route
Whitney Basin-Double Hill
Elevation
10,800'
Aspect
Northeast
Slope Angle
37°
Trigger
Snowmobiler
Trigger: additional info
Unintentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Weak Layer
Facets
Depth
20"
Width
175'
Vertical
200'
Comments
I happened to be in the area of Double Hill this afternoon and observed this snowmobile triggered slide when riders were ascending a northeast facing slope on the south end of Double Hill. As one rider crested the hill he triggered a mostly shallow soft slab avalanche that he was able to ride out of. One rider below also rode through the slab as it broke and one rider turned out and avoided it. I think we were all a bit surprised to see a slide break that was this wide and connected. Prior to this avalanche I was watching riders break out some very small soft wind slabs just off the ridge line that were mostly harmless. I think the combination of a slightly steeper slope angle and just the right slope orientation where the recent wind and new snow created this slab. I don't think this is a widespread problem as riders on the north end of Double Hill were not triggering any slabs, just some minor new snow sluffing.
Coordinates