Persistent Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Likely
- Tamaño
- 2–3
Persistent slab avalanches could be very large and could easily bury or kill you. These dangerous and surprising avalanches can catch even the most experienced backcountry travelers. The best way to stay safe is to avoid where these avalanches exist. It's not realistic to manage the risk of an avalanche once you trigger it.
The highest elevation, leeward slopes will be the most dangerous. Above treeline, snow will stay dry and southwest wind will drift snow. You can trigger these avalanches from long distances away. They may even run naturally and may come down from slopes above you. Keep your distance from slopes steeper than 30 degrees. Make sure you're not standing below or adjacent to steeper slopes. Use clues to stay out of avalanche paths, like trees stripped of uphill branches or openings in vegetation that run up slopes. Watch for obvious signs of instability like recent avalanches, whumphing collapses, or cracks shooting through the snow.
(12/18/2020) Part of a remotely triggered persistent slab avalanche (D2) that was ~500ft wide and 15"-20" deep. Lanham creek, 5800ft, NE.