Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 61 m
- Weak Layer
- New Snow/Old Snow Interface
- Vertical Fall
- 46 m
- Avalanche Type
- Soft Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 18 cm
- Trigger Detail
- Intentionally Triggered
- Start Zone Aspect
- North
- Avalanche Problem
- New Snow
- Start Zone Elevation
- 2682 m
North Side of James Peak 8,800' N: SS-ASc-R1D1-I 6"-8" crown; 200' wide; 150” long
This slide occurred in the backcountry outside of the ski area. The new snow failed on the old snow surface. The interface was F+ in the new snow and 1F+ in the old, likely a MFcr. There was SH on top of the MFcr. The slide was very high energy and released 10-15 feet below my ski cut. I believe this was an isolated pocket of protected SH on the new/ old interface. The snow from 3 days ago has settled into a soft slab and the weak layer collapsed very easily. Not a major avalanche problem but be on the look out on similar sheltered/ high elevation slopes.