Avalanche

Avalanche: Rocky Point

IanSalt Lake
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Avalanche

Slab Width
11 m
Weak Layer
Density Change
Trigger Type
Skier
Vertical Fall
30 m
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Slab Thickness
46 cm
Trigger Detail
Unintentionally Triggered
Start Zone Aspect
Northeast
Avalanche Problem
Wind Slab
Start Zone Elevation
3170 m

My partner and I had traversed over to Sunset Pass from the top on the supreme chairlift and noticed a lot of wind transport coming from the south. Once we got to Sunset Pass we decided I would do a ski cut to an island of trees and hopefully that would release any wind slab at my feet. While cutting over to the ridge, we felt the snow collapse and saw cracks shoot up the ridge, causing the slab above us fracture and run down the slope. The slab didn't run far maybe only 100' and varried in depth up to 1.5' deep.