Observer Name
Ross & P. Kessler & UDOT Provo
Observation Date
Friday, February 23, 2024
Avalanche Date
Friday, February 23, 2024
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Brighton Perimeter » Caribou Basin
Location Name or Route
Caribou east ridge
Elevation
9,500'
Aspect
East
Trigger
Snowmobiler
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Weak Layer
New Snow/Old Snow Interface
Depth
4'
Width
100'
Vertical
700'
Comments
Comments from Ross from February 23, 2024
Saw this from a distance-was near where we were headed. Saw 4 riders on sleds on ridge below slide, but never caught up to get the story. It looks like one rider had gone up the drainage and triggered slide-it buried est 750' of their track. Slide broke on a steep rollover with some exposed rock-probably approaching 40 degrees for a short distance. Crown went through wind deposit 3-4' deep at center and traveled at least 750' down drainage. Serious terrain trap.
Comments
P. Kessler Notes from 2/25/2024 observation- Location may have had some southwest aspect to it.
Snow Profile Comments
No snowpit, but excess sun crust. Punchy to a layer near surface that was incredibly difficult to walk on.
Comments
Snowmobile tracks in and out of the area. This slide was just below a common track into Caribou Basin from "Cornice 2". Multiple snowmobile and timber sled tracks surrounding this area. Slide path appears very "shiny" even at sunset. No beacon signal reported, so assuming any buried persons were recovered. All similar aspects in and around this area have signs of avalanche (4 visible from miles away), whether natural or human triggered, this is an extensive snowmobile/sled skiing area.
Comments
Comments
Photo UDOT Provo
Coordinates