Wind Slabs
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Unlikely
- Größe
- 2
West southwest winds blew in the light to moderate range last night between 10 and 25 MPH, just enough to push the recent storm snow into some pockety wind drifts on slopes with an easterly component. They sure wont be massive, but could be up to 1' deep and big enough to push you around and take you for a ride. Resting on a variety of bed surfaces, today's drifts will be reactive to the additional weight of a rider and triggered easily with our skis or sled. I expect them to settle out quickly, but if the sun comes out and starts baking the snow and heating up, be flexible with your plan and avoid any suspect terrain. Remember, these slides are manageable by looking for fat, rounded pillows of snow that could look textured and sound hollow like a drum, and avoiding them all together.
Remember, you don't always need the tree-snapping, sled busting avalanche to ruin your day -- Even a small slide on a consequential slope can put you into a terrain trap or smash you up against trees or rocks.