Wind Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Unlikely
- Tamaño
- 1–2
This problem is decreasing in likelihood from possible to unlikely. This is thanks to a break in precipitation and warmer temperatures that has allowed wind slabs to bond to the supportable crust below. However, don't turn your radar off to unstable snow on the eastern half of the compass above the treeline, especially in extreme terrain. Think steeps: cliffs, gullies, couloirs, rollovers, and hanging pockets of wind loaded snow. This is where you'll find this problem today. The WNW wind has scoured exposed, windward aspects on the western half of the compass down to an icy crust, making travel difficult and potentially hazardous.
The reactive wind slabs we were seeing a couple of days ago are becoming more stubborn to trigger and harder to find, but we're not out of the woods yet. Continue to give cornices and any slope that appears wind loaded wide berth and, as always, be on the lookout for shooting cracks and listen for collapsing.
(1/4/2025)
Nearly two foot deep crown of an intentionally triggered wind slab avalanche in Sun Bowl
Photo: Mount Shasta Avalanche Center