Observer Name
Haffener
Observation Date
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Avalanche Date
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Tuscarora
Location Name or Route
N Tuscarora Chutes
Elevation
10,600'
Aspect
North
Trigger
Skier
Depth
6"
Width
10'
Comments
Observed a skier ski cut a pillowed looking, wind loaded entrance to one of the N Tuscarora Chutes and trigger a small wind slab near the top that did not step down. 2nd skier skied down without incident.
For my tour , I took a Milly Bump, booted up Milly, skinned up Wolverine Bowl, skied 2 laps in Wolverine Bowl & Lower Wolverine Chutes, skied Stupid Chute and out 1000 Turns Gully back to Brighton base. In the morning southerlies on Milly had a breakable 2" MFC. Wind transport was noted in the am coming from the NW, switching over to SW flow filling in the skin track by 11 am. By 11 am anything southerly was damp and heavy with warming from the sun and greenhousing once the clouds moved in (around 12 pm).
For the second day in a row, I have witnessed another backcountry skier appear suddenly and ski down on top of my partner in avalanche terrain. I am always careful to talk with other skiers and riders before descending avalanche terrain, to ensure it is coordinated that we will ski one at a time. This is the number 1 safe travel protocol to follow in avalanche terrain. This way if it avalanches, you only have a single burial, and thus statistically better chance of successful rescue vs a multi burial. Yesterday at the top of Rocky Point no one was on the ridgeline when I dropped in, and midway down during my partners' descent 2 different skiers dropped in on her in terrain steep enough to slide. Today, as my partner was skiing Stupid Chute and was 20' below the entrance and still very visible, a skier ski cut the upper left part of the chute that was extremely pillowed and wind loaded directly over her. Fortunately, he did not trigger an avalanche, but the negligence exhibited was shocking. She pulled over to a wind stripped spot to let him ski by. Please look before dropping into avalanche terrain to ensure there are not people below you and please ski avalanche terrain one at a time, always!
Coordinates