Langley NE Couloir

Quick report

Couloir is partly transitioned and exists in a continuum from left to right. The apron and skier's left appears fully melted & refrozen, and has some minor coral reef like texture, which makes it easier to edge and kick steps in. Skier's right still holds patches of windboard, graupel, and facets especially where shaded. Carried skis until 9300, where snow became almost completely continuous (for now). Started descending at ~11:40. Kicked off a very small wet loose slide on the steep SE slope above the couloir at 13,700'. A similar sized slide was triggered by a glissader on a steeper slope at 10,500' at ~1:45pm. Other slopes were stable. On the summit, wind kept S aspects firm, and the NE aspect of the couloir kept it from melting out as much as well. Crampons, ice axe, and ski crampons all found use.

Avalanche

Size

D1

Count

2

Aspect

SE

Trigger

AS

Elevation

13700 ft

Set off a very small wet loose slide on a small, steep SE slope just above the Langley NE couloir at 11:45. More like D 0.5 W/SW wind kept other S aspects colder and firmer, but this SE aspect had enough sun, shelter from the wind, and steepness to slide.