Avalanche

West Fork of Mail Cabin

Thomas NeyTetons
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Quick report

Cracking
widespread
Collapsing
widespread

Natural and human caused avalanches on the steep creek banks and test slopes near the skin track heading towards Windy Ridge. Yostmark Backcountry Tours level one avalanche course. As we toured up Mail Cabin to Windy Ridge we jumped, stomped, and walked on many test slopes. This produced widespread cracking, collapsing, and small avalanches. The avalanches and cracking were within a density break in the storm snow down 9-12cm, as well as at the old/new snow interface down 40-50cm.

Weather

Air Temp
Mid 20s
Cloud Cover
overcast
Wind Loading
light
Rain Elevation
N/A
Recent Snowfall
20-50cm
Snow Avail For Transport
large amounts

Snow, snowing heavily at times . S1 all day with pulses of S2. Temps stayed in the mid 20s all day. Light winds from the west with moderate gusts above 8500'.

Snowpack

General snowpack summary: New load to a weak and shallow snowpack. We dug at the start of West Burbank Trail, 7700', South aspect, 20degree slope, HS 85cm, ECTP21 down 48cm. Layer of concern , facets above a melt freeze crust. We also dug near the base of Windy Ridge, 8200', SE aspect, 22 degree slope. HS 100cm, ECTP12 down 50cm. Layer of Concern, facets. There was also a couple of density breaks in the new storm snow, one down 12cm and another down 20cm.

Avalanche

Size
D1 R1
Type
SS
Aspect
S
Trigger
AS
Elevation
7700 ft

Natural and human caused avalanches on the steep creek banks and test slopes near the skin track heading towards Windy Ridge.