Avalanche

Avalanche: Caribou Basin

Ross & P. Kessler & UDOT ProvoSalt Lake
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Avalanche

Slab Width
30 m
Weak Layer
New Snow/Old Snow Interface
Trigger Type
Snowmobiler
Vertical Fall
213 m
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Slab Thickness
122 cm
Start Zone Aspect
East
Avalanche Problem
Wind Slab
Start Zone Elevation
2896 m

Comments from Ross from February 23, 2024 Saw this from a distance-was near where we were headed. Saw 4 riders on sleds on ridge below slide, but never caught up to get the story. It looks like one rider had gone up the drainage and triggered slide-it buried est 750' of their track. Slide broke on a steep rollover with some exposed rock-probably approaching 40 degrees for a short distance. Crown went through wind deposit 3-4' deep at center and traveled at least 750' down drainage. Serious terrain trap.

P. Kessler Notes from 2/25/2024 observation- Location may have had some southwest aspect to it.

Snow Profile Comments

No snowpit, but excess sun crust. Punchy to a layer near surface that was incredibly difficult to walk on.

Comments

Snowmobile tracks in and out of the area. This slide was just below a common track into Caribou Basin from "Cornice 2". Multiple snowmobile and timber sled tracks surrounding this area. Slide path appears very "shiny" even at sunset. No beacon signal reported, so assuming any buried persons were recovered. All similar aspects in and around this area have signs of avalanche (4 visible from miles away), whether natural or human triggered, this is an extensive snowmobile/sled skiing area.

Photo UDOT Provo