Quick report
- Slope Angle
- 37°
Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 8 m
- Weak Layer
- Facets
- Trigger Type
- Skier
- Vertical Fall
- 122 m
- Avalanche Type
- Soft Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 76 cm
- Trigger Detail
- Unintentionally Triggered
- Start Zone Aspect
- North
- Avalanche Problem
- Persistent Weak Layer
- Start Zone Elevation
- 3109 m
Got to the top of the ridge sometime between 10:15 and 10:45. There were two sets of tracks leading skier's right of the trees, where we were planning on going. To get a few turns on untracked snow, the three of us hiked up a few more yards and planned to cut right to the bottom of the bowl. I was aware of the rock band to the right and to go left of it, but didn't notice the band to my left. The first in our group took three or four quick turns before cutting right. I went second, and took two more sweeping turns, the second of which was a jump turn that triggered the slide. I didn't notice it while skiing, just when my friend pointed it out when I got to the bottom.
I didn't get close enough to the crown to measure it or determine if there was faceted snow between the rocks and new snow. All measurements are estimations. I believe there was faceted snow on the rock band there, which got loaded with new snow (partially wind deposited), and was easily triggered with my turn. Again, I do not know this for sure.