Avalanche

Avalanche: Scottys

Kobernik/KendallSkyline
View on map

Avalanche

Slab Width
38 m
Weak Layer
Density Change
Trigger Type
Natural
Vertical Fall
30 m
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Slab Thickness
25 cm
Start Zone Aspect
Southeast
Avalanche Problem
Wind Slab
Start Zone Elevation
3048 m

While going to investigate another avalanche, we stumbled onto this one. It is similar in nature to this other nearby avalanche. The pattern is a steep easterly facing wind loaded slope near the ridgeline. Both of these avalanches ran on a stout wind/sun crust. The big question for me was whether old faceted snow was involved. Even with a microscope, I could not definitively say facets were involved. These two slides simply look like a function of wind drifted new snow.