Observer Name
Richie Schumacher and Matt Barry
Observation Date
Monday, January 27, 2025
Avalanche Date
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Region
Logan » Mount Naomi Wilderness » Smithfield Dry Canyon
Location Name or Route
Mt Naomi Wilderness
Elevation
8,300'
Aspect
Northeast
Slope Angle
Unknown
Trigger
Natural
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Weak Layer
Facets
Depth
Unknown
Width
Unknown
Vertical
300'
Comments
We traveled up Smithfield dry canyon today and observed 2 separate natural dry avalanches. These slides appears to be loose dry in nature, but contained small chunks of either wind slab or cornice fall in the debris pile. Numbers are estimated
Avalanche 1 (described above) appears to have started in a steep (35-40*+) and possibly wind cross-loaded rocky start zone nearer the ridgeline than can be seen in the picture. This one appears to have released a pocket of wind slab on its way down. (Photo MB)
Avalanche 2 (NW start zone @ ~7700' running around 400'. Natural trigger, debris pile outlined) appears to be of similar nature as the first, but was harder to observe due to distance. However this appears to also have come off of a steep, rocky start zone with dense tree cover near by.
we observed two basic surface setups today- hard and brittle wind crusts or rime/MF crust sitting on old faceted snow (pictured, photo MB) and bottomless facets we sunk to our thighs in. I believe this combo was responsible for the debris piles pictured.
