Wind Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 1–2
On Saturday I observed a skier triggered wind slab (D1.5) that propagated 400ft across and ran 150ft down slope. This occurred on a northeast aspect at 7,600ft. The crown was 18” (45cm) deep, and the slab ran on the old melt freeze crust layer. I was surprised by the size of the avalanche given the modest amounts of recent snow.
For Sunday human triggered avalanches will continue to be possible. While most wind slabs will be small, larger avalanches may be possible (especially in the alpine) on isolated terrain features. Look for the usual clues such as blowing snow, textured snow surface, smooth/rounded features, cracking, and collapsing. Wind slabs can often be found below cornices, areas that catch snow, and anywhere the wind can freely blow snow. You can use your ski pole or avy probe to assess the depth of wind slabs. The old crust layer is a good land mark to assess the depth of wind slabs. While most wind slabs will be small, remember that getting knocked off your feet in and around terrain traps can make the outcome of a small avalanche worse (i.e. cliff, gulley, trees).
If in doubt, stick to slopes under 30 degrees.