Eagle Summit Area

Quick report

see avalanche report

Avalanche

Size

D2.5

Aspect

NE

Trigger

AS

Elevation

4100 ft

This information is outside of the Eastern Alaska Range but it's important to share data from events like this. Myself and a friend walked (skied) from Eagle Summit towards Porcupine Dome. Walking up the first hill we heard a whoompf on low angle terrain. We also noted a small cornice fall in steeper terrain that caused a debris field. We walked/skied along the Pinnell Mountain Trail and remained on low angle terrain. We ripped skins to glide/ski below the area that released (as shown in the google map photo). We discussed skiing across this area one at a time and we were both carrying avalanche safety gear. I went first and triggered the slab from around 100 to 150 feet from where my tracks are covered by the debris field. None of the snow beneath my skis shifted in the slide (slope less than 25 degrees). The snow was very light in areas (dirt/grass/rocks showing in some places) during our approach. In the bowl where the avalanche occurred, the ground had full snow coverage (depth unknown) and significant wind loading. The mix of snow/rain earlier in the week likely increased the load on this slab. At the time that we skied, the sun softened the top couple of inches in the area I crossed. There wasn't a sound or any settling and I didn't realize a slide occurred until I turned around from where I took the photo. The crown size appeared to be upwards of 6 feet in areas with multiple slab depths as shown in the photo below. Though we stayed on low angle terrain, it's important to recognize risks are always present. I triggered this on ~25 degree terrain, it propagated into the steeper terrain, and the trigger point was inside the debris path. The debris could have posed significant harm to myself if I was caught in the slide.