Wind Slabs
- Alta montaña
- Límite del bosque
- Bajo el límite del bosque
- Probabilidad
- Possible
- Tamaño
- 1
Wind slabs will develop near and above treeline throughout the day. It is possible that you could trigger an avalanche on an isolated wind slab. As the snowfall continues, these deposits will increase in depth and size, amounting to a foot or more deep. Search for pillows on leeward slopes, around the base of cliffs, and along the sides of gullies or features. Use small test slopes or wind lips to determine how the snow is behaving. If you see long shooting cracks or create a tiny avalanche on one of these small features then avoid going onto larger steep slopes with similar snow characteristics.
An example of a small wind slab avalanche on a test slope. Photo: Andrew Kiefer