Molars East at Tipping Point

Went back to the same area as previous day. Feb 22 surface hoar layer was found 40-50cm deep. First rode a NNW facing couloir in great stable snow with no surface hoar layer, I.e. likely sloughed out from natural activity and skier traffic. Some old tracks could just be discerned. Second run on NE aspect in same terrain rode the previous day. A whumph was felt ( none the previous day) at a regroup spot just before an avalanche was while skiing the slope below. See avalanche tab. No injuries, one pole lost. Excellent ski quality but very spooky! Seems like this area might have just reached the tipping point over the Feb 22 surface hoar layer.

First skier went in denser trees to the left. Second skier traversed slightly right into a sparsely treed slope and did two turns before noticing cracking around its skis. Then tried traversing out of it to the right but the fracture kept propagating right 10m or so above. Eventually the skier got swept off its skis and was carried in the avalanche for about 20 meters before slowing down on a tree and fully coming to a stop on the bed surface another 10 meters further, i.e. total ride of roughly 30 m. Most of the avalanche stopped 50-70m below the skier. One pole was lost.