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Avalanche: Brighton Perimeter

Observer Name
xhester
Observation Date
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Avalanche Date
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Brighton Perimeter
Location Name or Route
Brighton periphery, pioneer ridge, toilet bowl.
Elevation
10,100'
Aspect
North
Trigger
Snowboarder
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
New Snow
Weak Layer
Density Change
Depth
3"
Width
40'
Comments
in a.m. ski patrol told me they were getting remote triggered slides and shut down milicent hike for control work. I headed to twin lakes 1000 turn gulley noticed shooting cracks but only 3" deep in new snow/ density change/weak bond.
moved to pioneer where
I intentionally triggered/ski cut 2 avalanches in trees not very deep 3" crown but still -entrained a bunch of snow, 2' deep moving thru trees fast.
it was a very thin slab, not a sluff. 2nd one was lower down same size.
I called Brighton ski patrol n alta central, prob not enought to easily bury but possible.
photo doesn't show slide. Just general area. skiers right of toilet bowl before any chutes.
3" might not seem like much but with steep pitch n lots of bats, would have been a bad ride if carried and was bit surprised by depth of moving snow n speed. My original idea was to hit a slope/chute without baseball bats(there is only 1 on this ridge) but it was a bit far and I was late and nobody had made a track out there (fake time pressure). Trees made this a dumb place to mess with a thin slab. I will respect 3" weaknesses more.
ski cut and Stopping and stuffing as opposed to outrunning was a good move.
photo doesn't show crown or slide, just general area
Got sluffing at Claytons & 10420 area later in day.
Coordinates