Persistent Slabs
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Possible
- Größe
- 1.5–2.5
Weak layers buried two feet beneath the surface can fail under the weight of a rider. In some areas where wind has deposited snow, these layers could be up to four feet deep. Recent avalanches, like the one triggered yesterday, are one of nature's most obvious warning signs. Reel in your desire to ride on steep slopes. You won't see a lot of avalanches or obvious signs in this zone unless you dig and look for weak layers. So far, avalanche activity on buried persistent grains have been on steep slopes. Keep to terrain below 30 degrees to significantly reduce your risk of being caught in an avalanche today.
A rider triggered this avalanche yesterday, December 31, 2025, somewhere in Togwotee Pass. This is the worst kind of terrain trap where even a very small slide can bury a person. Fortunately, this one had a lucky outcome.