Quick report
We noted significant new snowfall overnight, 12-18” in depth and deeper as we ascended tuckerman ravine. We saw evidence of several small natural dry loose point releases on south and southeast aspects as we ascended the tuckerman ravine trail above hermit lake. Storm slab from overnight snows formed on all aspects with little to no wind impact. We experienced light ~east winds in the ravine. Our party entered tuckerman ravine at about 9am and ascended the area between right gully and lobster claw. We met a party above us who opted to ascend right gully after performing some snow stability assessments and noting there may be a lot of slough today. Our own assessment was that there was significant storm slab that we expected to slough significantly when traveled. It was not well bonded to the old wind buffed surface and while it did not generally propagate, it was extremely sensitive. When transitioning, we saw one of the skiers caught in a slide from somewhere in right gully, likely about half way up. The skier was partially buried and carried several hundred feet nearly to the ravine floor. He was communicating with us while one of us assessed right gully to attempt to look up to find his partner, who was not slid and who was down climbing right gully. The skier self extracted and quickly moved to a treed ridge lower in the ravine. Lower angle slopes offered some deep powder turns in the bowl though we stayed very conscious of the terrain above and around us. The Sherb was fabulous.
Avalanche
- Size
- D1.5
- Type
- L
- Aspect
- SE
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 4800 ft
Observed one person from a party of two caught in a large slide in right gully. After sliding, the skier was buried roughly from the waist down and took a few minutes to self extract. The party mentioned that the avalanche started above them, possibly as a natural trigger from snow loading the top of the slope.