Observation: Snowbasin Backcountry

This is a picture of the starting point of the large skier triggered avalanche in the Snowbasin sidecountry that occurred 1/15/14. This is in the Hells Canyon area and the actual line is known as #2. There are 3 main slide paths into Hells Canyon. The ski patrol probably has a different name. It appears the avalanche was a wind slab that failed on a large convex shaped roll over at the top. The slide pulled up the slope towards the ridge further than I have seen any previous slide in that area rip out in the past 10 years. It appears this was a wind slab as it did not appear to rip to the weak layers on the ground. No rocks or bushes were visible in the starting zone on the bed surface in the starting zone. Surprisingly, the winds did not transport much new snow into the starting zone and the crown was clearly visible one day later.

Settled and wind blown snow