Observer Name
Gagne/Frey
Observation Date
Thursday, March 2, 2023
Avalanche Date
Thursday, March 2, 2023
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Days Fork » Hide A Way Park
Location Name or Route
Hideaway Park
Elevation
10,000'
Aspect
Northwest
Slope Angle
45°
Trigger
Skier
Trigger: additional info
Unintentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Hard Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Facets
Depth
2'
Width
60'
Vertical
250'
Comments
We unintentionally triggered a hard slab avalanche on a very steep, rocky slope in Hideaway Park. The avalanche broke below my skis and failed 2' down in a layer of faceted snow that developed in a rocky portion of the slope. I was the second person to enter the slope, and the first rider reached the bottom and waited in a safe spot adjacent to the runout zone. I was neither not caught or carried.
What is unusual about this avalanche is that our deep snowpack is opening up lots of terrain that ordinarily wouldn't be accessible in average snowpack years. This slope is steep and rocky, and the avalanche failed in a layer of facets below a layer of rocks - a likely place to find facets, even with a deep snowpack.
HS-ASu-R3-D2
Video
Coordinates