Avalanche

Avalanche: Maybird Aprons

Zack Little, Drew SmithSalt Lake
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Quick report

Slope Angle
34°

Avalanche

Slab Width
12 m
Weak Layer
Density Change
Trigger Type
Skier
Vertical Fall
6 m
Avalanche Type
Hard Slab
Slab Thickness
41 cm
Trigger Detail
Intentionally Triggered
Start Zone Aspect
North
Avalanche Problem
Wind Slab
Start Zone Elevation
2926 m

The avalanche pictured was triggered by me as I approached a convexity at the top of maybird aprons. The snow appeared to be wind-drifted and based on observations I was expecting some sort of result out of the slope. As I was about 5 feet above the apex of the convexity the avalanche released, propogated around 50 feet wide and ran for 20-30 vertical feet. Non-consequential avalanche in relatively non-consequential terrain, however there was still a significant amount of snow(~4feet) stacked up on the tree immediately below the crown. The slab varied in hardness but was generally 1F. This avalanche along with numerous other smaller ones that we triggered today were isolated to ridgelines and other areas more exposed to the wind. Below the ridgelines, we found awesome powder skiing in undisturbed light density snow. Throughout the tour, we found said light density snow on the surface to be incredibly slippery, some of the crystals rimed, some not. I will be more suscpicious of sensitive storm/wind slabs as the next load comes tonight given this info. We toured from white pine, into redpine, and exiting maybird, traveling on almost every aspect other than south. Observed cracking, and some smaller avalanches all over anywhere that was exposed to the wind.