Quick report
- Slope Angle
- 35°
Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 24 m
- Weak Layer
- New Snow/Old Snow Interface
- Trigger Type
- Skier
- Vertical Fall
- 46 m
- Avalanche Type
- Soft Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 61 cm
- Trigger Detail
- Unintentionally Triggered
- Start Zone Aspect
- Northwest
- Avalanche Problem
- New Snow
- Start Zone Elevation
- 3109 m
While ascending on skins, we had unintentionally strayed to the east of the white pine lake trail, and while traversing to return to the trail we encounter the slope in question. Skier 3 ascended 5-10 m to get a better view of the slope. Group decided to cross the slope by skiing a steep traverse on skins. Skier 1 crossed safely at a 45 degree traverse, followed by skier 2. Skier 3 then traversed from his higher location. At the point his tracks joined the tracks of skier 1,2, the triangle between the tracks collapsed, followed by fracturing above and below. Skier 3 was just able to clear the slope before the slabs gained speed. The terrain flattened in trees shortly below and the avalanche came to a halt.
Conditions: moderate snowfall, moderate-strong variable winds, visibility < 1 mile, temp high 20s F.
Image link: https://plus.google.com/113473223168033189021/posts/9hKTr5Cz5Qg