Quick report
Our party entered Huntington Ravine with the goal of checking conditions and if appropriate, skiing new snow before the wind speeds increased and the storm intensified. Throughout much of the lower portion of Huntington we encountered about 3-5" of new snow over a relatively firm wind-affected surface. Generally we did not observe signs of instability while approaching Central. Multiple hand shear tests showed a firm, stubborn older snow layer with non-reactive, loose dry new surface snow. In the mid-to-upper elevations as we climbed the lower portion of Central gully, we encountered drifting snow in the lee of various terrain features such as large rocks. In these areas drifted snow was varied around 8-12" deep. Generally, this snow was dry, light, and unconsolidated and did not form slabs or react to our activity, though in isolated spots it did not adhere well to steeper, firmer surfaces. Wind speeds were relatively low but steady, and it began snowing more heavily as we ascended Central. We traveled fast to reach the choke point in Central where we observed a natural dry loose avalanche that started above the choke and flowed into the fan below the choke before dissipating. We began skiing and one of the skiers triggered a sluff that entrained additional snow from the surrounding rock and ice features. This avalanche of primarily deeper snow in the lee of the rock feature caught the skier and began to carry him before it fanned out and dissipated, leaving the skier unharmed. In the lower elevations, on less steep terrain, and in shallower snow, the snow did not show signs of instability and did not react to skiers.
Avalanche
- Size
- D1
- Count
- 2
- Aspect
- E
- Trigger
- AS
- Elevation
- 4950 ft
Our party observed two avalanches in Central Gully. While transitioning below (and to the side of) the choke point in Central, we observed a natural dry loose avalanche that started above the choke. Visibility was relatively low so we don't know how high it started. The avalanche flowed for about 5-10 seconds from the upper elevations and deposited into the fan area below the choke point. One of the skiers in our party triggered a moderate sluff while skiing into drifted snow below the choke in Central. After the snow began moving, unsupported snow on rock and ice formations above the drifted snow patch, began sliding off the rocks joining the sluff around the skier. This sluff caught and carried the skier briefly, though they were able to ski out of the sluff as the dry loose snow fanned out and dissipated.