Deep Persistent Slabs
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 2–3
Up to two inches of moisture has been added to the snowpack during the past several days. Backcountry travelers could trigger persistent deep slab avalanches with depths up to five feet in some areas above 8,000 feet. These low probability/high consequence avalanches are more likely to be triggered where faceted snow from December resides less than three feet below the snow surface. Large triggers, such as snowmobiles or cornice failures, are more likely to trigger one of these dangerous hard slab avalanches.