Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 61 m
- Weak Layer
- Depth Hoar
- Trigger Type
- Natural
- Vertical Fall
- 152 m
- Avalanche Type
- Hard Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 107 cm
- Start Zone Aspect
- West
- Avalanche Problem
- Persistent Weak Layer
- Start Zone Elevation
- 3018 m
Wind loading overloaded a shallow pre-existing snowpack on this west facing aspect. The fracture line ranged from 2.5 to 5 feet in depth. We were a bit surprised to see an avalanche like this on this aspect but after considering the recent wind directions and the known shallow snowpack on the west faces, it all makes sense.
There was a shallow crown face above the large crown face. It's possible that a smaller natural avalanche ran and triggered the larger slide.