Quick report
- Slope Angle
- 42°
Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 15 m
- Weak Layer
- New Snow/Old Snow Interface
- Trigger Type
- Skier
- Vertical Fall
- 91 m
- Avalanche Type
- Hard Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 25 cm
- Trigger Detail
- Unintentionally Triggered
- Start Zone Aspect
- Northeast
- Start Zone Elevation
- 3170 m
I decided to ski The Huge Chute for the first time this year. It had been skied as had several other chutes in the cirque. The wind was blowing harder than I expected and had deposited some of the new snow in the chute. I cut the slope three times with no result and then began skiing. At about 10,300 ft. I apparently hit a sweet spot and the slab broke up maybe 10 ft. above me. My guess on the fracture was 8-12". It knocked me off my feet and carried me maybe 100 vertical feet. I was able to self arrest on the hard bed surface and watch the avalanche continue all the way to where the slope flattens out. I was surprised in that this was not a soft slab. It did not seem like a lot of snow but it had me going for awhile before I was able to self arrest. I submit this report because I believe there is a good chance the other chutes are loaded in a similar matter.
Incident
- Number Caught
- 1