TWO SNOWBOARDERS ARE FORTUNATELY ALSO STILL ALIVE AFTER
DISCOVERING A THING OR TWO ABOUT AVALANCHE ACTIVITY IN UPPER BIG
COTTONWOOD CANYON YESTERDAY AFTERNOON!  SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD SKIED
OR BOARDED PARTS OF THIS SLOPE YESTERDAY BUT THESE TWO PUSHED
INTO A STEEPER AND MORE WIND LOADED SECTION AND TRIGGERED A DEEP
AVALANCHE.  THE SLIDE BROKE 2 TO 3 FEET DEEP AND ABOUT 150 FEET
WIDE.  THE BOARDERS DID NOT HAVE BEACONS OR SHOVELS BUT LUCKILY
NEITHER ENDED UP BURIED.  ONE OF THEM WAS ABLE TO GET OFF TO THE
SIDE WHILE THE OTHER WAS BURIED ABOUT WAIST DEEP.  DRIFTING FROM
TUESDAY'S STRONG WINDS AND THE BIT OF NEW SNOW OVERLOADED A
LURKING WEAK LAYER DATING FROM BACK IN NOVEMBER, MAKING IT
SENSITIVE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE TWO BOARDERS.  
ALL OF US NEED TO TAKE A WARNING FROM THIS CLOSE CALL.  EVEN IF
YOU THINK THE SNOW IS STABLE, STILL ONLY EXPOSE ONE PERSON AT A
TIME.  CARRY AVALANCHE BEACONS AND SHOVELS WHEN YOU ARE IN
AVALANCHE TERRAIN.  SKI AREA TERRAIN THAT IS NOT OPEN DOES NOT
HAVE AVALANCHE CONTROL AND IS JUST LIKE THE BACKCOUNTRY.  AND
FINALLY, TRACKS DON'T PROVE THE SLOPE IS SAFE.