Incident

Avalanche: Big Cottonwood Canyon

UAC StaffSalt Lake
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Quick report

Slope Angle
36°

Avalanche

Slab Width
61 m
Weak Layer
Facets
Trigger Type
Skier
Vertical Fall
213 m
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Slab Thickness
61 cm
Trigger Detail
Unintentionally Triggered
Start Zone Aspect
Northeast
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Start Zone Elevation
3048 m
  • Dry Fork- 10,400' East-northeast aspect-skier triggered soft slab- 2' deep 200' wide 700' vertical. Triggered by skiers dropping a cornice, ran over bench where slides usually stop (photo).
  • Clayton Peak- 9,800'- Northeast aspect= soft slab failed on facets- 2' deep 60' wide and 200' vertical. Several pockets triggered from different skiers. Pulling out onto lower angled slopes.
  • Tuscarora- 10,400'- Skier triggered, caught and carried, ended up on top.
  • Twin Lake Pass- 10,000'- East-northeast aspect- skier triggered soft slab failed on buried facets- 2' deep 60' wide and 300' vertical. Tracks going into fracture line and coming off of debris at bottom.
  • Skier unintentionally had cornice break, triggered slide below. Then intentionally triggered another.

Incident

Number Caught
2
Number Carried
2