Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 91 m
- Weak Layer
- Depth Hoar
- Trigger Type
- Natural
- Vertical Fall
- 183 m
- Avalanche Type
- Hard Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 15 cm
- Trigger Detail
- Cornice Triggered
- Start Zone Aspect
- Northeast
- Avalanche Problem
- Persistent Weak Layer
- Start Zone Elevation
- 3200 m
Hard to tell if it was triggered by a cornice fall or just heavy wind loading. Pits in the general vicinity indicated that a Rime Crust was formed sometime around Tuesday/Wednesday and this is now buried 10 inches down. Very Easy to Easy, Q1, SP Shears were observed directly below this Rime Crust. The slide appeared to initiate on .5mm facets below this Rime Crust. Another Easy to Moderate Q1, SP Shear was also noted 15 inches below the Rime Crust Shear. After the initial failure below the Rime Crust there appeared to be a step down in the other previously cited weak layer. Then as it descended down hill it rolled over a steep Convex feature that was a rock slab with slope angles > 45 degrees. At this point the slide stepped down for the second time and caused the failure into Basal Facets. This part of the slide appeared to be 6 to 8 feet deep. The entire slide propagated at least 300 feet wide with the deep failure confined to the steep Chutes directly below the Peak. The initial slide started approximately 125 feet below the Peak. Size of the slide appeared to be D 2.5.
Picture not the greatest due to the limited visibility.
Sustained Moderate to Strong Winds out of the WNW began blowing around 1045 and Transport was Intense. Blowing Snow was observed well off the Peaks and getting down into the Mid Elevations at and below Tree Line.