Avalanche

Avalanche: Mount Naomi Wilderness

Dylan AndersonLogan
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Avalanche

Slab Width
30 m
Weak Layer
Facets
Trigger Type
Natural
Vertical Fall
152 m
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Slab Thickness
61 cm
Start Zone Aspect
Southeast
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Start Zone Elevation
2682 m

I wanted to shoot you a couple take homes:

  • Lots of natural activity around cold springs and west facing terrain in cottonwood canyon.
  • Heavy heavy snowfall, S5 rates, sustained moderate-high winds. Excellent deep riding conditions.
  • Instabilities on all aspects that harbored snow prior to this storm. Tons of audible, booming whumpfs even on the 6-7th pass on a track at or below ridge lines. Buried SH and NSF / facet - crust combs are touchy to new and continued loading.

We observed one natural avalanche (caused by a grouse flying out of the snow - I shit you not!). SS-R2-D1.5-O on a ESE at 8800ft. We remote triggered a similar size avalanche on adjacent terrain on a due E aspect.