Avalanche

Avalanche: Little Water

Mark StaplesSalt Lake
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Quick report

Slope Angle
39°

Avalanche

Slab Width
30 m
Weak Layer
Graupel
Trigger Type
Skier
Vertical Fall
76 m
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Slab Thickness
36 cm
Trigger Detail
Remotely Triggered
Start Zone Aspect
North
Avalanche Problem
New Snow
Start Zone Elevation
2865 m

Triggered this slide just after digging a pit and getting an extended column test that fracture across the whole column after 4 light taps (ECTP4). Walked about 10 feet ahead, got a collapse, and this slide broke where the slope was a few degrees steeper about 10 feet in front of me. I didn't know for sure it would slide, but was walking near the ridge to see if the snow would show any signs of instability. It did.

Third photo shows the ECT that broke in some graupel that fell the day before. The avalanche started in that layer then broke a few inches deeper.

The reason I went to this slope was because of this avalanche which occurred the day before.