Wind Slabs
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1
Follow the wind and.... you'll find where shallow, yet sensitive wind drifts live on the south half of the compass. The southside shuffle illustrated above in a 24 hour data run from Windy Peak (10,662').
Isolated to terrain in the wind zone, fresh wind drifts formed overnight along the leeward side of upper elevation ridges facing the south half of the compass. Not particularly deep, today's shallow wind slabs will react to our additional weight and may break a bit deeper and wider than you'd expect. In addition, there are some hard, slick crusts for avalanches to run on and on steep, sustained slopes, today's slides may travel further and faster than you might expect. The good news is... today's drifts will predictably break at or below our skis, board, or sled. But remember... if you're tagging steep, technical terrain, be aware that even a small slide could knock you off your feet and boss you around. So, the ticket to riding safely today is simply look for and avoid any fat, rounded piece of snow, especially if it sounds hollow like a drum.