Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 46 m
- Weak Layer
- Density Change
- Trigger Type
- Natural
- Avalanche Type
- Wet Loose
- Slab Thickness
- 30 cm
- Start Zone Aspect
- West
- Avalanche Problem
- Wet Snow
- Start Zone Elevation
- 3139 m
We hiked up to big Horn on Saturday. The day was very warm above freezing even very high. Up high the mountain was in fog and cloud almost the entire day we were up there. On our return to the parking lot we observed through binoculars three distinct point avalanches on the west slopes to the west of where we hiked.
second on our descent towards the second Hemongog above Alpine I was sliding down the hillside on a 30 degree slope. I started pushing a large amount of snow which broke loose from the ice layer below it. The layer was 6 to 12 inches deep. The top layer completely detached from a point where my snow shoes plowed it. It quickly grew wider and carried me with it. I rode it for a while then rolled off whereupon it kept going for a few seconds and the stopped. The result was very large. I had broken loose a slab about 10-14 feet wide and about 100 feet down slope. It was about 6-12 inches deep and did not bond whelk with the ice layer below. If the slope had been steeper it would have gone really fast and lost control. I only have a photo of the slab break that I rode which I will try to attach.