Wind Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 1–2
What and where is it: 5 inches of snow yesterday and consistently strong southwest winds loaded snow into north and east-facing terrain. In these aspects, you may find large wind slabs that you could trigger.
Winds shifted west overnight, and with upslope snow on the forecast today, look out for loading snow in south and east-facing terrain. This is the terrain where you will encounter today’s problem and where large natural avalanches are possible.
How can you recognize it: Blowing and accumulating snow are signs of actively developing wind slabs. Look out for bright white and pillowy snow to identify drifted snow. You may also encounter shooting cracks.
How can you manage it: In northern aspects, dig down to the firm old snow surface and use column tests and hand shears to assess sensitivity. In east and south-facing terrain, assess the new snow and softer old snow interface. If you choose to travel higher into avalanche terrain, continually assess the snow every 100 feet or so with hand shears and boot penetration. You are likely to encounter a patchwork of snow depths and should continually assess size and sensitivity.