Testing those North slopes...
Incidentfbr · Feb 28, 2021 · Quesnel
Quick report
- Weather
- warm
- Ride Type
- mellowSlopes, convexSlopes, steepSlopes, denseTrees, openTrees
- Riding Quality
- amazing
- Snow Conditions
- deepPowder
- Avalanche Conditions
- avalancheConditionSnow, avalancheConditionSlab, avalancheConditionSound
Woke up to 13cm of new snow @ 1130m. Anticipated observing some Na activity from overnight. Went up to find some fun safe skiing...maybe stepped a little out of line.
Avalanche
- Run Length
- 89
- Slab Width
- 100
- Trigger Type
- natural
- Wind Exposure
- leeSlope
- Avalanche Size
- 2
- Slab Thickness
- 20
- Start Zone Aspect
- N
- Vegetation Cover
- openSlope
- Start Zone Incline
- 40
- Avalanche Character
- windSlab
- Number Of Avalanches
- 1
- Start Zone Elevation
- 1900
- Runout Zone Elevation
- 1694
- Weak Layer Burial Date
- 2021-02-27
- Avalanche Observation
- 12to24hrsAgo
- Weak Layer Crystal Type
- stormSnow
- Start Zone Elevation Band
- tln
- Avalanche Occurrence Datetime
- 2021-02-28T18:15:00.000Z
Prior to leaving the SW aspect of that ridge the previous day observed increased winds. Expected this slope to slide as it has flushed out two other times I've been in the area (Na) Was surprised that it didn't propagate further around the bowl. The danger is still lingering in that zone.
Incident
- Group Size
- 2
- Terrain Trap
- slopeTransitionOrBench
- Group Activity
- skiing
- Number Injured
- 0
- Number Involved
- 1
- Number Caught Only
- 1
- Number Fully Buried
- 0
- Snow Depth Trigger Point
- shallow
- Terrain Shape Trigger Point
- convex
- Number Partly Buried Able Breathing
- 0
- Number Partly Buried Impaired Breathing
- 0
Group discussed skiing the ridge of this gully. When we got up there, we discussed ski cutting the top of the start zone. No results when we rendezvous in a safe zone. We looked further at the slope and decided that the weak point would be the convexity in the middle. We were correct as the slope was cross loaded from the evenings storm and wind. The slope was skied one at a time with radio communication. Escape routes were planned, and at the time the risk seemed manageable. Hindsight, it did what we expected, but it wasn't necessary. Knowing this slope had flushed multiple times made the confidence higher then it should be.