Avalanche

Avalanche: Lake Martha

BSalt Lake
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Avalanche

Slab Width
152 m
Weak Layer
Facets
Trigger Type
Natural
Vertical Fall
61 m
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Start Zone Aspect
North
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Start Zone Elevation
3109 m

Crown still visible by the naked eye, but the photo did not depict it well. Annotation details the extent of the crown, and it was definitely filled in. It appeared that this natural avalanche most likely occurred during the day on 20191214. It was mostly likely triggered by loading from the wind and snow event that was yielding very reactive avalanche conditions. If not during that day, then possibly overnight or into the early morning hours on 20191215.

Also of note were two small D.5 avalanches that were observed on the east face of Tuscarora. Both appeared to be Loose Dry, yet the visibility late in the day was poor due to light snowfall and think cloud cover. No crown was able to be observed due to these conditions. One of the avalanches came out of the Main Chute/Sea Gull, and the other came out of the finger just up slope from the Notch.