Avalanche

Avalanche: Tanners Gulch

Jace MengSalt Lake
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Avalanche

Slab Width
244 m
Weak Layer
New Snow/Old Snow Interface
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Slab Thickness
61 cm
Start Zone Aspect
Southeast
Avalanche Problem
Wind Slab
Start Zone Elevation
3200 m

Several large avalanches of varying ages noted in Tanners Gulch with multiple crowns that extended across the entire east, southeast, and south facing aspects. Crowns appeared 12-20 inches. Assuming some were explosive triggered yesterday morning as many flanks had debris covered in a couple inches of snow. Fresh debris without snow ran from at least 10500 down to about 7800 feet into Tanner Gully with a very large debris pile. Upper portions of more skiiers left chute also with debris, but did not run all the way through.

Quick hand pit on south facing slope that had not slid at about 9800 feet showed a 1.5 inch thick presumed freeze/melt crust under about 12 inches of snow with a fairly cohesive slab and decision was made to turn around.