Persistent Slabs
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Possible
- Größe
- 3
Today, human-triggered slab avalanches failing on a buried persistent weak layer could be large and life-threatening. During the last big storm, heavy snowfall and drifting by winds from the west overloaded slopes plagued by widespread buried layers of weak, sugary snow or facets and feathery surface hoar that developed during the prolonged December dry spell.
Paige and I were in Tony Grove yesterday, and even though it's becoming less likely to trigger an avalanche, we still felt uncomfortable riding bigger, more consequential lines. We rode a few slopes near or approaching 30 degrees in steepness and still had a blast. We also avoided being under avalanche terrain as we do not trust our snowpack just yet. If you do choose to ride steep avalanche terrain stack the odds in your favor by doing the following:
- Ride one at a time in avalanche terrain and keep an eye on the person the entire time from a safe spot.
- Choose a slope where the runout is free of trees, rocks, or cliffs. Smooth slope.
- Do not stand or park underneath steep slopes, as avalanches can run long distances into the flats.
- Be prepared for a rescue, as it remains possible to trigger a slab avalanche.
My advice: is leave the steep terrain alone for the weekend. Why ruin your day with an avalanche? Remember, sometimes even when you do everything right, the outcome can still be catastrophic. Let's give the snowpack a little more time to adjust and gain more strength. It won't be long before we can get into bigger terrain without the risk of triggering an avalanche that can kill you.