Observer Name
Seamus Dolan & CB
Observation Date
Friday, March 7, 2025
Avalanche Date
Friday, March 7, 2025
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Kessler Peak » Catchers Mit
Location Name or Route
Kessler Peak
Elevation
10,200'
Aspect
Northeast
Trigger
Skier
Trigger: additional info
Remotely Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
New Snow
Weak Layer
Facets
Depth
3'
Width
300'
Vertical
1,750'
Comments
I was traversing the ridge above Catcher's Mitt to access High Pockets when I triggered a very large avalanche that pulled down a large portion of Catcher's Mitt and ran 75% of the distance down East Kessler (around 1800'). Two parties were skinning up East Kessler (one of the parties whom I'm friends with and had them on radio), so we were able to confirm quickly that nobody had been caught, as the slide did cross the skin track.
This slide was 2'-3' deep and ran on the dust layer that was mentioned in today's avalanche forecast as a potential weak layer. Having not seen any instability on due north or westerly slopes, I'll admit I was shocked to trigger something so large and potentially deadly today. We got a free lesson today and it's back to low angle terrain for me the rest of the weekend.
Forecaster Comments: In speaking with another party below who reported being dusted by the avalanche, it sounds like a very close call with multiple parties in the area and lots of uncertainty on whether anyone was buried. Unfortunately this has become increasingly common, not just in the Wasatch, but in the backcountry in general. Charlie Hagedorn presented on this issue at the 2023 International Snow Science Workshop in Bend Oregon - https://arc.lib.montana.edu/snow-science/item.php?id=2942
The failure plane was likely faceted grains around a dust and melt freeze layer buried prior to the storms.
Comments
Photos from CB (taken March 8):
Video
Coordinates