Avalanche

Avalanche: Hells Kitchen

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Quick report

Slope Angle
40°

Avalanche

Slab Width
8 m
Weak Layer
Facets
Trigger Type
Natural
Vertical Fall
9 m
Avalanche Type
Wet Slab
Slab Thickness
20 cm
Start Zone Aspect
Southeast
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Start Zone Elevation
2134 m

This slide is about 1/2 mile up off the Franklin Basin Road up Hell's Kitchen canyon. We've seen it slide here several times on our hike in to ski Steam Mill Peak. Widespread collapsing continues, but instability has gotten deeper with collapsing occurring on the sixth time up the same uptrack. Cracking has decreased, but still occurs on wind loaded east slopes. Upper elevation snow is hanging in there thanks to cool winds that are keeping the snow surface cold despite the relatively high temperature.