Utah Avalanche Forecast Center

Bulletin_02_13 (Excerpt)

AS I SIT HERE THIS MORNING, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IT'S TURNING INTO
A RATHER UGLY WINTER.  YESTERDAY THE WASATCH HAD IT'S FOURTH
AVALANCHE DEATH OF THE WINTER.  A PARTY OF THREE WAS TRAVERSING
FROM THE TOP OF BUTLER WEST FORK TOWARDS THE RAYMOND/GOBBLERS
SADDLE.  THIS WAS ACROSS THE SSW FACE OF GOBBLERS, APPROXIMATELY
ALONG THE SUMMER TRAIL.  THE PARTY TRIGGERED A SLIDE THAT BROKE
OUT ABOUT 200' ABOVE THEM.  ALL THREE WERE CARRIED INTO SOME
ASPENS, AND COMPLETELY BURIED.  TWO WERE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE
SURFACE TO GET THEIR HEADS OUT ON THEIR OWN, THOUGH ONE HAD A LEG
WRAPPED AROUND A TREE.  THE THIRD PERSON WAS ALSO WRAPPED AROUND
A TREE, BURIED FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, AND MAY HAVE DIED FROM
TRAUMA RATHER THAN SUFFICATION.  TOM WILL BE GOING UP TO LOOK AT
THE SLIDE AREA TODAY, BUT HERE ARE THE BEST ESTIMATES OF THE
SLIDE PATH DATA.  IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 2' DEEP, NEW SNOW ONLY,
150 TO 250 FEET WIDE, RAN 400' DISTANCE, AND ON A SSE FACING
SLOPE.  THE CROWN WAS ON A 40 DEGREE PLUS SLOPE, BUT THE SLIDE
WAS TRIGGERED FROM A LOWER ANGLE SLOPE BELOW.

PEOPLE WERE FINDING THE NEW SNOW SENSITIVE IN OTHER AREAS OF THE
BACKCOUNRTY, TOO.  ON SLOPES OF ABOUT 35 DEGREES OR STEEPER IT
WAS EASY TO START NEW SNOW AVALANCHES THAT WERE 1 TO 2' DEEP, AND
UP TO 150' WIDE.  THERE WAS ANOTHER ALMOST FULL BURIAL OFF THE
WEST SHOULDER OF REYNOLDS, WITH NO INJURIES REPORTED.   ALL THE
AVALANCHES YESTERDAY WERE DESCRIBED AS RUNNING VERY FAST AND
SURPRISINGLY FAR.  IN SOME PLACES, THE SNOW WAS DESCRIBED AS
STUBBORN, AND NOT REACTING TO SKI CUTS, BUT COULD BREAK OUT ONCE
YOU WERE PARTWAY DOWN THE SLOPE.  IN SOME LOCATIONS, THE CROWNS
WERE UNUSUALLY LOW DOWN ON THE SLOPE.

LEES

From an "In Memoriam" in the Press:

Steve Carruthers, 36, was killed by an avalanche on Feb 12 in Big 
Cottonwood Canyon, UT. Steve was skiing with Marshal Denton, who suffered 
severe leg fractures, and James Paul, who escaped with a sprained ankle. 
All were experienced backcountry skiers.

Contributions to the education of his daughter Lucia can be made through 
Steven Carruthers Memorial Fund, c/o Nancy Carruthers, First Security 
Bank, 79 S Main, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101