Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 6 m
- Weak Layer
- Facets
- Trigger Type
- Skier
- Avalanche Type
- Soft Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 46 cm
- Start Zone Aspect
- Northwest
- Avalanche Problem
- Persistent Weak Layer
- Start Zone Elevation
- 2926 m
Cross load on a North face pocket on the west faceing slope. The deepest part was about 2 feet or so and the shallowest was about the new snow plus suncrust ? 5 inches ?
I ski this line [several options in a near proximity) often and the steep choke usually presents a slough or wet rollers depending on conditions. This day traversed above the danger zone and aproached from s to n with a ski cut that fractured and settled the top pocket. 2 turns released the 2nd pocket seen in attatched video. And again 2 more turns triggered the third pocket not shown. Same slight north from west aspect [wnww] down lower presented fractures.
What i saw was the rotted snow was faceting under the warm air / sun crust and the crossloading provided sufficient water weight plus skier to release the steep 2x falline hard slab pockets.