Quick report
- Slope Angle
- 30°
Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 46 m
- Weak Layer
- Surface Hoar
- Trigger Type
- Skier
- Vertical Fall
- 61 m
- Avalanche Type
- Soft Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 30 cm
- Trigger Detail
- Unintentionally Triggered
- Start Zone Aspect
- Northeast
- Start Zone Elevation
- 2499 m
After triggering the first avalanche, we decided to ski some mellow tree shots well away from the main slide path. We descended the
The pocket in image #4 pulled out around the corner and well above me, perhaps 60-80 feet, and luckily I had good purchase in the bed surface as the debris washed past.
The small pocket in image #5 also pulled out. The entire slab was probably 100-150’ wide, with debris running maybe 200’ vertical through dense trees – it could have been a nasty ride. The complex crown shape basically mapped out where surface hoar had grown in the openings between trees. This slab was triggered at 8200' on a NE aspect.
Surface hoar is clearly the main issue here. I've never seen such a low-angle slope slide. That type of protected slope is normally what I look for on high danger days.
Good outcome here since Erik was able to self arrest in the bed surface and did not get carried into the forest below....
Incident
- Number Caught
- 1