Avalanche

Avalanche: Grizzly Gulch

Hopkins / Hopkins / TicknorSalt Lake
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Avalanche

Slab Width
9 m
Weak Layer
New Snow/Old Snow Interface
Trigger Type
Skier
Avalanche Type
Dry Loose
Slab Thickness
3 cm
Start Zone Aspect
Southeast
Avalanche Problem
New Snow
Start Zone Elevation
2682 m

We skied late afternoon in foggy conditions with little snow accumulation from the storm. Our tour dropped us out on the south-facing side of upper Grizzly Gulch. For our exit, we traversed through mostly benign terrain back to the lot. We noted a very touch interface with the suncrust and new snow.

When we could see the lot, I ski-cut the steep south-facing slope of the Gulch and was surprised to see something I've never experienced-- spiderwebbing snow all around me and a thought of having enough speed to get back on the ridge. It was just an inch, so there really wasn't even anything to take a picture of, but with more snow combined with a terrain trap like this one, I imagine the hazard could be more pronounced.