Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 305 m
- Weak Layer
- Depth Hoar
- Trigger Type
- Skier
- Avalanche Type
- Hard Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 61 cm
- Trigger Detail
- Remotely Triggered
- Start Zone Aspect
- East
- Avalanche Problem
- Persistent Weak Layer
- Start Zone Elevation
- 3078 m
Went for a snowmobile and a long walk with hopes of getting a look into the high country to see if we could see any recent avalanche activity from this last storm cycle. Unfortunately visibility didn't allow us to see much.
We were ridge walking to have a look at some suspect terrain when my partner gave a light stomp with one ski. We immediately felt the flat ground we were standing on collapse with a big woompf and remotely triggered this large slide. We could see the snow beneath us starting to move and a few seconds later watched as the slab propagated around a bowl like feature pealing huge blocks of debris down the slope. Visibility wasn't good so we weren't able to see how far down the path the slide ran but we guessed it most likely ran full track, approximately 800 feet. We triggered this slide above an east facing slope but it propagated to NE facing terrain in one direction and SE in another. We guessed the slide propagated at least a 1000 ft. across and was a foot to 8 (or more?) feet high. This was a very large connected piece of snow that took out the entire seasons snowpack. It was very impressive to watch.
Here are some additional photos.
We experienced very little cracking or collapsing. Prior to and after this we did not see any recent avalanches. We did not dig a pit but are very aware of our poor snowpack structure and the persistent weak layers that exist. We are at a scary point right now because you may not be picking up many or any red flags and the snowpack is starting to feel more supportable and cohesive, giving one a feeling of false security. The forecast today clearly reads: Human triggered avalanches are VERY LIKELY. Avalanches will be 2-5 feet deep and hundreds of feet wide. It was spot on. If you want to come home at the end of the day, it's imperative that you just, flat out, avoid avalanche terrain. Avalanches are getting more unpredictable and breaking deeper and wider. Tricky and very scary conditions right now.