Lawine

Crystal Backcountry - Silver Basin

Avalanche.org observerWest Slopes South
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Beobachtungsfoto 1

Quick report

Though I did not see any obvious or large rollerballs on the slope prior to descending, the sun had briefly poked through the clouds in the morning, which would have briefly baked this slope. The snow throughout the day included a mix of conditions, but primarily 4-6" of new snow on top of a stout crust (this crust existed even on north-facing aspects at 7k'). A select few chutes held deeper pockets of powder, and one or two prominent faces around 6.5k were somewhat wind-scoured, with possible slabs. In general, all aspects other than due-North seemed to quickly respond to the sun, and an avalanche like this could have been much more consequential if in a terrain trap or near more obstacles (rocks, cliffs, trees).

Avalanche

I triggered a wet loose avalanche on an East-facing slope at about 2:10 PM while descending on skis. The point of initiation was 6670', and it ran to 6384' (where the photo was taken), a total of 287 vertical feet. The slope angle, according to Caltopo, was 34-38 degrees, average of 35. I was caught and swept off my feet. I managed to self-arrest after being carried part of the way down the slope. I sustained no injuries. Nobody else was near the avalanche. It looked unlikely that it could have buried anyone. Only the top recent layer of snow over the crust slid, so it may have just been 4-6" deep.