Quick report
- Slope Angle
- 34°
Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 24 m
- Weak Layer
- Graupel
- Trigger Type
- Skier
- Vertical Fall
- 15 m
- Avalanche Type
- Soft Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 36 cm
- Trigger Detail
- Unintentionally Triggered
- Start Zone Aspect
- Northwest
- Avalanche Problem
- New Snow
- Start Zone Elevation
- 2957 m
Family in town for the weekend... I dropped them off at Brighton, hopped on Milly, and checked in with the local avalanche experts... AKA Brighton Ski Patrol :)
The crew informed me of a connected piece of snow in the backbowl that was worth looking at. I found a freshly triggered soft slab, low on the slope where grauple tends to pool. Averaging 12" deep and about 75' wide there was just enough 4 finger hardness (yesterday's storm snow that got greenhoused and consolidated), allowing the slab to connect a bit wider than you might expect. Maybe big enough to knock you off your feet, but more of a wake up call is the need to manage all components of a steep descent, especially after you've nailed a big rad shot and have a low angle apron to cruise out on.... said lower angle terrain where grauple pools from steep slopes above, just might be the sleeper slope that could potentially catch you off guard.