Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 15 m
- Weak Layer
- Density Change
- Trigger Type
- Skier
- Vertical Fall
- 213 m
- Avalanche Type
- Soft Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 30 cm
- Trigger Detail
- Unintentionally Triggered
- Start Zone Aspect
- North
- Avalanche Problem
- Wind Slab
- Start Zone Elevation
- 2896 m
We spoke to the party that had unintentionally triggered this avalanche at the top of Yellowjacket Gulch on a north-facing aspect. The skier was not carried in the slide.
The slope was wind-loaded from southwest winds. The starting zone is not that big, but the avalanche involved a lot of snow and ran 700' vertical, with debris was up to 1 meter (3 feet) on the uphill side of trees. Weak layer is a density inversion within the storm snow. Photos of the starting zone and the toe of the debris.
SS-ASu-R2-D2