Quick report
- Slope Angle
- 34°
Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 6 m
- Weak Layer
- Depth Hoar
- Trigger Type
- Skier
- Vertical Fall
- 30 m
- Avalanche Type
- Soft Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 41 cm
- Trigger Detail
- Intentionally Triggered
- Start Zone Aspect
- Northeast
- Avalanche Problem
- Persistent Weak Layer
- Start Zone Elevation
- 3078 m
Travel was up Toledo Bowl to Flagstaff Peak, Emma Ridge, West Bowl, out Days Fork Quicksilver. Lots of aspects and elevations crossed. S aspects in Toledo and Emmas have HS 30-40cm. Rocky. West aspects are stripped up high and rotten down low. NW through NE to E aspects are suspect especially as the slope angle approaches 35 degrees. Collapsing is still happening as this persistent weakness gets it's first real test.
I triggered this small avalanche from a 30 degree slope that failed and released where the slope angle approached 35 degrees. NE aspect at 10,100'. A quick crown profile indicated two important things. (1) I was unable to isolate a column along its flanks even after the slope had collapsed, and failure was in the well documented December depth hoar, but (2) much weak snow still remained in the bed surface.
The previous avalanche released adjacent to a N that occurred on Dec 18 on NE-facing slope along the West Bowl / Days Fork ridge (pic). Both small but they're an indication of the type of weakness we'll be dealing with for a while.
Very Poor structure abounds. This snow profile was taken at 10,200', E-facing West Bowl. HS 63cm. The Mid-Dec. slab varies from 30-40cm thick and is resting on top of F hard 4mm depth hoar. Stability tests continue to fail easily and propagate along the entire column. There's no wishing this avalanche problem away. It will be with us until either it avalanches or gets compressed by lots more snow.