Wind Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Possible
- Dimensione
- 1–2
Use caution on leeward slopes over 35 degrees where westerly wind deposited storm snow on the 10-11th. Along with typical drifting below ridges, you may find wind-stiffened snow in unsual locations and lower down slopes than normal. Avalanches could break widely across slopes and they could be easy to trigger in isolated areas. You can use simple tests like hand shears, test slopes, and tilt tests to evaluate the bond. Recent avalanches and cracks shooting through the snow are "red flag" indicators of the danger.
There's a chance that you could still trigger isolated avalanches in very steep wind-sheltered terrain. 7-9" of recent snow rests on a variety of thin weak layers including stellars, facets, or surface hoar over a crust. The crust is most prominent on steep southerly aspects and below 5,100ft.
(1/11/2025) Crown of intentionally triggered windslab, NW ridge Tye Peak. Photo: Ryan Minton