Avalanche

Avalanche: Gold Hill

M. Staples & S. MartinUintas
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Avalanche

Slab Width
305 m
Weak Layer
Facets
Vertical Fall
152 m
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Slab Thickness
61 cm
Start Zone Aspect
Northeast
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Start Zone Elevation
3109 m

Unclear if this was natural or triggered by something else like a Moose. There were no fresh snowmobile tracks in the area. We didn't see any fresh animal tracks. However, based on weather we have a hard time believing it was a natural avalanche. We did spot a bull moose in the area and tons of other moose tracks. It seems more likely that it was moose triggered, but we don't know for sure.

REGARDLESS - This avalanche is a major heads up of things to come.

As more snow falls, there will be more avalanches like this one. The difference is that more snowfall will create a thicker slab. A thicker slab means the avalnaches will run farther, faster and create deeper debris.

Snow profile below is not from the crown but from a lower slope where we remotely triggered a smaller avalanche.