Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
See avy details
Avalanche
- Size
- D2
- Aspect
- NW
- Trigger
- AS
- Elevation
- 4000 ft
Watched a group of two skiers and two dogs trigger a windslab 4 to 10 inches deep (caught and carried) beginning to skin up the south side of hatcher pass at the saddle (toward the ridge that leads to April Bowl). They triggered a windslab on a slope loaded by recent snow and SE winds. They were both caught and carried. The avalanche broke just above them (I think), and it sympathetically triggered a second windslab which broke 50 feet above them. The two skiers were carried maybe 50' vertically and ended up partially buried (non critical). The two dogs were also ok. Our group of 4 assisted them in finding gear. They were able to self extricate. The two slides basically covered the entire slope (100' wide x 100' tall?). The snow here was disconnected from other slopes by windscoured bare ground and rocks. The slides connected shallow rocky areas on both sides of the slope. We did a couple stability tests on the sidewall of the slide near where it ended in bare ground. The wind slab in this area was 4 inches deep sitting on what looked like near surface facets. The slide did not step down and only entrained the new snow. ECTN2 in the windslab ECTN7 in the windslab Shovel shear windslab failed during isolation PSTx2 100/100 (this surprised us and although we felt we did a good job setting up and conducting the test it was the first PST of the season, maybe our saw wasn't in the exact perfect spot)