Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 15 m
- Weak Layer
- New Snow
- Trigger Type
- Natural
- Avalanche Type
- Wet Loose
- Start Zone Aspect
- East
- Avalanche Problem
- Wet Snow
- Start Zone Elevation
- 2987 m
A more accurate avalanche location would be 'almost all steeps in Alta'
This one just happened right in front of me on the little ridge between gunsight and backside, just as the sun disappeared behind the clouds at 2:15pm. Around 8" of overheated fresh snow were laying on a bed of granular frozen snow, bonding was poor. Observed tree bombs creating rollerballs that entrained a surprising amount of snow on their way down. Decided to stop ascending gunsight when I found the skintrack had been taken out by a fresh slide. As I reached an island of safety to assess a proper way down this slide happened. Afterward I went over to survey the damage. The slide, though slow moving, gouged down to the rocks and carried some over the cliff edge.