Wet Slabs
- Alta quota
- Limite del bosco
- Sotto il limite del bosco
- Probabilità
- Likely
- Dimensione
- 1–2
Below-freezing temperatures overnight created a thin crust over yesterday's mushy, soft snow. This crust will melt quickly in the sun and send more water into the snowpack, reducing snow stability as it does.
- Wet loose sluffing in steep terrain is likely to occur and may entrain significant amounts of snow. This will most likely be a human-triggered problem today. Continue to carefully choose your timing and be aware of changing snow conditions depending on aspect, elevation and other terrain factors. Small pockets of wet loose snow can trigger a much larger and more dangerous slab.
- Wet slab avalanches are dangerous. Dense debris on steep slopes can move fast if given the right bed surface. Water melting into the snowpack breaks down bonds and creates an upside down snowpack. Wet slab debris is heavy and destructive. The best way to avoid these wet avalanche types is to stay off of and out from under steep slopes that are cooking in the sun or turning to wet slush.
(3/20/2026)
A rider triggered and was critically buried by this wet slab avalanche near Spread Creek on Friday, March 20. His hand was showing and his friends dug him out.