Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 6 m
- Weak Layer
- Facets
- Trigger Type
- Natural
- Avalanche Type
- Soft Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 61 cm
- Start Zone Aspect
- Northeast
- Avalanche Problem
- Persistent Weak Layer
- Start Zone Elevation
- 2865 m
Travel today took us up into our go-to area this season: Reynolds, Soldier, Big Water, and Little Water. The travel was easy and the conditions were stellar: immaculate winter day and classically Utah. We experienced cold ambient air temps, and it was chilly in the shade, but very pleasant in the sun. We measured about 5 inches of HST from last night of low density powder that had fallen atop Friday’s storm. That made for five star riding conditions. HS was around 120cm where we measured.
We noted several dry loose avalanches on Mount Raymond, Gobblers Knob, and Wilson Peal. One on Wilson Chutes stepped into our current upper snowpack PWL and triggered a small slab avalanche. A good reminder that the hazard matched avalanche activity. On our last lap we toured over to Fire Water and found old debris from before this last snow cycle.
With the current snowpack, we stuck to low angle skiing. We were rewarded with incredible riding conditions in untracked glades, and at the end of the day, we also felt confident that we had made a terrain choice that fit both the avalanche problems as well as the rating.
Photo 1: Old avalanche debris at the bottom of Fire Water.
Photo 2: Avalanches observed in Wilson Chutes
Photo 3: Dry loose activity on Gobbler’s shoulder into Butler fork.
Photo 4: The Central Wasatch in all of its glory.