Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 15 m
- Weak Layer
- Density Change
- Trigger Type
- Skier
- Avalanche Type
- Soft Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 61 cm
- Start Zone Aspect
- North
- Avalanche Problem
- Wind Slab
- Start Zone Elevation
- 2743 m
My partner and I observed fairly large cornices at the ridgelines on top of most north facing slopes during our long tour in Lambonix today. At a few points our route necessitated walking or skiing on the slope beneath them briefly, but thankfully none broke while we were below them. We did not notice any signs of instability otherwise, even on slopes getting loaded by today's winds. As we were walking west along the ridge above Murphy's Run on our way to our last run of the day, my partner triggered a cornice break from where we thought was a large distance from the cornice, but it broke only a few feet from where he was standing. We watched it pick up what appeared to be a small wind slab or just new snow below and run for about 50 feet before coming to a stop before the stand of trees below. We didn't go back around to check out the hangfire because it was getting dark and we wanted to get out of there. We had skied below the same cornice on the prior run (see tracks on the left on the first picture) but had not triggered anything. Thankful it didn't break then, although it does not appear we would have been carried far.