Wet slide in Lower Middle Cottonwood Canyon

BRIDGER RANGE
Bridger Range
Code
WS-N-R3-D2-O
Elevation
5900
Aspect
N
Latitude
45.85120
Longitude
-110.94800
Notes

I observed the results of a wet slide avalanche within the first mile of Middle Cottonwood Creek Trail. The slide came down from the south side of the canyon (north facing), and crossed the trail at about 4-5' deep and 10' across at the trail with debris and into the creek at the creek crossing about .75 mile from the trailhead. The crown was only about 100' up the side of the canyon. The avalanche would've occurred earlier in the week, there was just the skiff of snow on it from the previous light snow (22nd?). In the rest of that section there are pinwheels all along that south canyon slope (north facing).

This is the 3rd wet slide I've seen in the last 3-4 weeks on Middle Cottonwood in the same region where the trail is on the south side of the creek (mile .4-.80 from summer trailhead). This area is easily accessible by hikers (I was running) and I've seen wet slides in that area 3 of the last 4 years once the sun hammers that south slope in the afternoon. I would expect more at the next warm spell after this current storm cycle.

Number of slides
1
Number caught
0
Number buried
0
Avalanche Type
Wet slab avalanche
Trigger
Natural trigger
R size
3
D size
2
Bed Surface
O - Old snow
Problem Type
Wet Snow
Slab Thickness
12.0 inches
Vertical Fall
100ft
Slab Width
35.00ft
Slab Thickness units
inches
Single / Multiple / Red Flag
Single Avalanche
Advisory Year