Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 30 m
- Weak Layer
- Graupel
- Trigger Type
- Natural
- Slab Thickness
- 91 cm
- Start Zone Aspect
- East
- Start Zone Elevation
- 3170 m
UPDATE: A 2nd group was in the Hogum area Saturday and went up to take a look @ the needle slide as temps came down with cloud cover. The original photo (first photo) in the report looks like it was taken early in the morning when the sun was out. I think this slide happened before the sun was a factor.
The N/ NW winds the night before created cornicing on the ridge between the needle and Coal Pit headwall. A cornice collapsed (Not sure if wind or sun was the trigger but wind seems likely) which triggered a 6" x 80' wind/soft slab on the rightward traverse to the ridge (below the needle that folks use to gain the headwall ridge). This smaller slide went over the rocks @ about 10'600' and triggered the large destructive slab that failed on grapple and ran full track. 3ft deep in places 100ft wide and ran from 10'400 to 9k.
kind of a complex series of events.
Second photo: Second party.