Heavy load triggered wind slab
Quick reportkeith · Feb 18, 2026 · Valhalla
Quick report
- Weather
- cloudy
- Ride Type
- alpineSlopes, openTrees
- Riding Quality
- amazing
- Snow Conditions
- powder
- Avalanche Conditions
- avalancheConditionSlab
Skier hucked off cross-loaded wind lip/cornice triggering a size 1.5 wind slab (20-35cm deep), 50m wide, that ran 200 meters. Skier pulled airbag and stayed on surface. No injuries. No lost gear. Lessons learned described in this State of the Snowpack Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G69ndo3_vrE
Avalanche
- Run Length
- 200
- Slab Width
- 50
- Trigger Type
- skier
- Wind Exposure
- crossLoadedSlope
- Avalanche Size
- 1.5
- Slab Thickness
- 30
- Trigger Sub Type
- accidental
- Start Zone Aspect
- W
- Vegetation Cover
- openSlope
- Start Zone Incline
- 37
- Avalanche Character
- windSlab
- Number Of Avalanches
- 1
- Start Zone Elevation
- 2320
- Avalanche Observation
- 12to24hrsAgo
- Weak Layer Crystal Type
- stormSnow
- Start Zone Elevation Band
- alp
- Avalanche Occurrence Datetime
- 2026-02-18T18:00:00.000Z
Skier hucked off cross-loaded wind lip/cornice triggering a size 1.5 wind slab (20-35cm deep), 50m wide, that ran 200 meters. Skier pulled airbag and stayed on surface. No injuries. No lost gear. Lessons learned described in this State of the Snowpack Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G69ndo3_vrE
Incident
- Group Size
- 10
- Terrain Trap
- noTrap
- Group Activity
- skiing
- Number Injured
- 0
- Number Involved
- 1
- Number Caught Only
- 1
- Number Fully Buried
- 0
- Snow Depth Trigger Point
- deep
- Terrain Shape Trigger Point
- planar
- Number Partly Buried Able Breathing
- 0
- Number Partly Buried Impaired Breathing
- 0
Skier hucked off cross-loaded wind lip/cornice triggering a size 1.5 wind slab (20-35cm deep), 50m wide, that ran 200 meters. Skier pulled airbag and stayed on surface. No injuries. No lost gear. Lessons learned described in this State of the Snowpack Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G69ndo3_vrE