Persistent Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Likely
- Dimensione
- 2
Throughout northern Utah, we have a very weak and faceted snowpack on almost all shady slopes. If you look at the locator rose you will see the aspects and elevations highlighted in blue where the backcountry community and we have identified where this persistent weak layer of faceted snow exists (pwl).
Faceted snow is not dangerous until you add stronger, more cohesive snow (slab) over it. A slab over faceted snow (pwl) is the perfect recipe for avalanches that catch, carry, and kill most backcountry riders. In fact, it's responsible for roughly 70% of all avalanche fatalities.
Today, we have a rising avalanche danger as we build a slab of snow over this weak snow. Strong wind and heavy snowfall will overload the snowpack, creating dangerous avalanche conditions. I would avoid slopes steeper than 30 degrees in steepness and remember that an avalanche can be triggered remotely (from a distance).
Video: Discussion about the snowpack for all mountains in northern Utah.