East Slopes South

Avalanche problems

• 

  Persistent Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline

  Likelihood

  Possible

  Size

  2–3

   

  You can still trigger large, surprising avalanches that break 2-4 ft deep. Assume this problem exists on all upper and middle-elevation slopes and possibly shadier lower-elevation slopes. These avalanches will be large enough to bury people. Although the slides will be largest in wind-loaded terrain, you can encounter this problem on all steep slopes, including those sheltered from the wind. 

  Neighboring zones continue to report large avalanches failing on the Solstice crust. On Wednesday, the Mission Ridge Pro Patrol reported triggering D2-sized avalanches breaking up to 3 ft deep on the solstice crust in wind-loaded terrain off the ridge. To the west, the reported avalanches have only been bigger and more frequent. The Crystal Mtn Pro Patrol continues to report very large (D3) avalanches breaking on a similar layer as recently as Wednesday. This past weekend, a rider in the Manastash Ridge area remotely triggered one of these avalanches that likely broke on the Solstice crust as well. 

  Plenty of evidence supports that this problem is widespread throughout the region. So continue to reduce your exposure by choosing simple terrain less than 30 degrees and avoid travel under large, open slopes. Persistent slab problems require persistent patience.