Quick report
Avalanche
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Recent Snowfall
- 4-6 inches
Avalanche
- Size
- D1 R2
- Type
- WL
- Aspect
- N
- Trigger
- AS
- Elevation
- 8700 ft
On Saturday March 16, on a North East facing slope on the East Side of Table Mountain I was caught in a wet loose avalanche that I triggered. I was carried for about 150 feet until I went over a rocky rollover in which I was able to get my skis under me and ski out of the avalanche path. I would estimate that the avalanche ran for another 150 feet before stopping in a shallow gully near South Lake Road. To be honest, I did about everything wrong in this situation. I was skiing alone. I had noticed that the new snow was not bonding well to the old crust layer beneath it. I had noticed signs of the fresh snow warming and becoming sticky. It was late in the afternoon on a hot, cloudy day. I had read the forecast and knew wet loose avalanches were a possibility. My plan had been to follow along a finger ridge back down towards the road. I traversed high on the ridge looking for signs of instability. I wanted to mitigate any surface instabilities by keeping them below me and staying high on the ridge. The turns were surprisingly good and I let my elation get the better of me. I connected a few good turns and then was hit on my left side from the wet slide debris. After struggling and being carried 150-200 feet (approximately) I got my skis under me at a rollover and skied out of the avalanche. I retrieved my dropped pole, took a few pictures, and left. I am totally unharmed except a few bruises.