Wind Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Possible
- Dimensione
- 1–2
There is a chance a person could trigger a wind slab avalanche a foot deep or more in the alpine. On Saturday a skier triggered an avalanche on Mt. Alice that you can read about here. The biggest question is are these wind slabs sitting over buried surface hoar and facets from the cold clear days we had in early February? We saw them buried at 1700’ on Lost Lake. Otherwise, we have limited information as to how widespread these layers are buried. Where these weak layers exist, wind slabs may be easier to trigger for a longer period of time.
Look for recent avalanches, as well as shooting cracks, and whumpfing sounds. Stiff snow sitting over soft snow are also clues you are traveling on a wind slab. Quick hand pits may reveal these suspected weak layers where you are recreating. If you find them be wary of steeper wind loaded slopes and feel free to let us know!
Cornices: If you find yourself on a ridge, give cornices some extra room. Cornice triggered avalanches were reported in Turnagain Pass over the weekend.
(2/22/2025)
This is a wider angle view of the skier triggered large wind slab on Mt Alice. No one caught.
Photo: Gareth Leah