Avalanche

Avalanche: Whitney Basin

Ted ScrogginUintas
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Quick report

Slope Angle
36°

Avalanche

Slab Width
107 m
Weak Layer
Facets
Trigger Type
Snowmobiler
Vertical Fall
183 m
Avalanche Type
Hard Slab
Slab Thickness
122 cm
Trigger Detail
Unintentionally Triggered
Start Zone Aspect
Northeast
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Start Zone Elevation
3139 m

I combined these two slides on Double Hill. Both looked to have been triggered either low or about mid-slope. It would appear that the facets in the middle of the snow pack collapsed and once the support was removed the slide stepped down into weak snow near the ground and pulled-out into deeper snow off the ridgeline.

1. This slide might be a day or two old, the crown has started to soften and creep. 2. It was interesting to see how the slide pulled onto fairly low angle terrain, here at the crown I measured the slope angle in the low thirties.

The mid-pack facets were easy to identify and failed with moderate taps from the elbow.

This small sled triggered slide looked to have happened yesterday. This is similar aspect and snow pack set-up as the bigger two slides futher on the same ridgeline.