Observer Name
sycho, Ande B., Jason J.
Observation Date
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Avalanche Date
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » White Pine » Pink Pine
Location Name or Route
Pink Pine Ridge
Elevation
9,600'
Aspect
West
Trigger
Natural
Avalanche Type
Dry Loose
Avalanche Problem
New Snow
Weak Layer
Density Change
Depth
6"
Width
10'
Comments
We were standing at the top of the Red Pine trees (~9,200 ft) and looking across to the west-facing side of Pink Pine Ridge (~9,600 ft).
Around 1 PM, we observed a point release in the bottom half of a chute on the west-facing side of Pink Pine Ridge. The slide appeared to be about 10 feet wide and ran approximately 100 vertical feet. It was likely triggered by wind loading combined with slight warming during the day. The debris was shallow and fanned out near the bottom of the chute.
Photos:
1. Markings of the point-release
2. A "point-release"
Around 2 PM, we set a skin track up the west-facing side of Pink Pine Ridge to ski Red Right Returning (RRR). Though steep, the snowpack felt solid and minimal sluffing occured. Off the shoulder of RRR, there was a noticeable wind load, but the snow underneath felt generally stable. As the first skier descended, a thin layer of wind slab (~1-2 inches) broke off, but it didn’t propagate or present any major red flags. The snow definitely got heavier after 2PM and much more firm than the morning.
Coordinates