Avalanche

Avalanche: Big Drift/Skyline Summit

Steve CoteSkyline
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Quick report

Slope Angle
37°

Avalanche

Slab Width
5 m
Weak Layer
Facets
Vertical Fall
6 m
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Slab Thickness
3 cm
Trigger Detail
Unintentionally Triggered
Start Zone Aspect
Northeast
Avalanche Problem
Wind Slab
Start Zone Elevation
2957 m

Looks like it was triggered by a snowmobile, just at the break of the ridge, Last weeks observations found that the old snow had faceted and we got a release of the of a small slab, much the same.

FORECASTER NOTE: This may have been snowmobile triggered or may have released naturally. I saw a similar cornice fall that fell naturally from recent wind loading. However, I also experienced a collapse of the snowpack under my machine in a drifted area. The collapse was due to the new drift sitting on old faceted (sugary) weak snow. Brett Kobernik