Ross SE couloir Jan 29-30 size 4 avalanche

Stable conditions with some warming trend during the day, freezing level climbed to about 1000m today. This report is more to warn about very tough going through the elephant trunk. Bring at least your ice axe and maybe crampons if you want to get through there to access Bonney moraines area. Size 4 gauged 4m deep iced over channel through creek bed near elephant trunk.

Size 4 likely occured during heavy snow and rising freezing level on Monday or maybe Tuesday. Bad visibility prevented us from clearly seeing start zone but likely from one of Ross SE couloirs. Small slide that likely stepped down lower down and propagated about 400m wide across the basin. The crown line observed from distance appeared to be about 100cm deep. Between 1650-1550m elevation, it stepped down to ground on unsupported convex gullies and rock bands. It is not uncomon for avalanches to fill the elephant trunk. This one ran about 200m past the elephant trunk. Debris fan was 3-4m deep. Slide started as dry snow slab avalanche but morphed into wet snow avalanche when it hit the creek. slide track sidewalls through elephant trunk are very firm and icy, requiring ice axe and crampons to safely climb out of it.