Avalanche
- Weak Layer
- Facets
- Trigger Type
- Natural
- Vertical Fall
- 152 m
- Slab Thickness
- 61 cm
- Start Zone Aspect
- Northeast
- Avalanche Problem
- Persistent Weak Layer
- Start Zone Elevation
- 2865 m
I stumbled onto two natural avalanches that occurred due to wind depositing snow onto the buried weak layers that have formed earlier this season. I was in this area last week and was in the starting zone of this second avalanche that I'm documenting. I have no doubt that the avalanche failed on weak sugary faceted snow.
Today, it became very obvious that the winds created a dangerous situation since Thursday. I noted lots of wind rippled snow and deeper drifts even in the mid elevations. There was an average of 4 to 8 inches of new snow with drifts up to a couple feet deep by the time I ascended to around 9000'. I also know that there is an abundance of weak sugary snow that these drifts are forming on top of. I turned around due to too much avalanche danger.