Incident

Avalanche: Meadows

CatinoSalt Lake
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Avalanche

Weak Layer
Wet grains
Trigger Type
Skier
Avalanche Type
Wet Loose
Trigger Detail
Unintentionally Triggered
Start Zone Aspect
East
Avalanche Problem
Wet Snow
Start Zone Elevation
2804 m

After our party of two skied the upper meadow chutes to the bottom we peeled off at the lowest break over. At that time it looked like a previous party ski cut or skied over the rollover and it broke, or perhaps it broke during the storm. We scooted to the left and zipped out, heading for drier conditions at the time. I took a quick look at the bed surface and it was wet loose grains, reminiscent of an April storm that came in before a hard freeze.

While we were placing skins back on at the flats, we observed another party of two. Before the obvious break over they went on the east/southeast flank and got a crown to pop out. The skier said she was carried into trees with snow piling up, but then was able to free herself. She and her partner then headed down valley with all their gear and unharmed.

Incident

Number Caught
1
Number Carried
1