Quick report
Triggered slide on back side of Lodi just west of the top of the T bar after a short hike. Triggered on a roll about the height of the traverse line that usually exists from the T bar. No prior signs of instability but snow was expected to be reactive (thanks Flathead Avalanche!). Crown was about 35cm, 30’ across, ran for maybe 50’. Looks like it went down to the January drought surface. Other ski lines were observed nearby, but not on the slope that slid. The often-present traverse from top of T-bar was not in place.
Avalanche
- Size
- D1.5 R2
- Type
- SS
- Aspect
- N
- Trigger
- AS
- Elevation
- 6525 ft
Skier booted a short way up Lodi from the T Bar. The rider saw no previous tracks, and suspects the slope may not have been skied since Tuesday 2/17. They did not go further because the slope is steeper higher up. The skier made a couple of turns when the slope released below a convexity. The debris started to carry them downslope; the rider steered towards a small tree and grabbed it before getting knocked off their feet. The debris continued a short distance downslope. The rider informed ski patrol. The solo skier was not wearing a transciever; they planned on staying inbounds because of the avalanche danger (they had seen the day's forecast). They expected this inbounds slope to have been ridden regularly (the trigger point was level with and in sight of the T Bar bullwheel). The clean bed surface, the thickness of the crown (35 cm), and the slab hardness (Fist) suggest this slide released on the Feb. 14 surface hoar, not the January Drought Layer. The slope may not have been ridden in the seven days since that layer was buried (T Bar closed much of that time).