Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
Signs of instability - heavy wet snow on top of lighter snow due to drastic temperature inversion on upper mountain. Some cracking on skin track but did not propagate very far. No whumpfing observed by my group but other groups in the area noted they had heard some. Pinwheels formed on ski descent but not naturally. Snow was not shedding off trees. Weather observations - cold down low at pass level (17 degrees) and warm up high (30+ degrees). Cloudy/overcast. Sun did not come out all day. Cautious travel was taken on uphill but the persistent slab was triggered by aggressive skiing (upon landing after going off a medium sized jump). Upon photo review, signs of a pre-existing crown from an older slab failure on the same interface was noted (red arrow). Crown from skier triggered slab today (1/20) noted by blue arrow.
Avalanche
NE Aspect 5800 ft Skier triggered avalanche Nobody caught or carried 12-24” crown, 30’ wide Suspected to have run on Solstice Crust but did not investigate Ran about 100 or so feet before it stopped