Persistent Slabs
- Hochgebirge
- Waldgrenze
- Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
- Wahrscheinlichkeit
- Possible
- Größe
- 1–2
Weak layers of faceted snow persist near the base of the snowpack on slopes that held snow prior to Thanksgiving. These areas generally include all aspects above 9,000 feet and west through north to east facing slopes between 8,000 and 9,000 feet. There, backcountry travelers could trigger persistent slabs with depths of one to three feet. The basal weak layers are slowly adjusting to the previous week’s loading event. Some of these slopes are stable, others are not, and it is difficult if not impossible to differentiate between the two. Patience is key with a persistent slab avalanche problem. The consequences of triggering one of these large slab avalanches are likely to be severe.