Steamboat & Flat Tops

Avalanche

It was a small D1 avalanche on a north facing slope around 9500 ft. It appears to have released naturally on 3/16 below and adjacent to this cliff band, which separates two runs in fish creek canyon called the nostrils and nosebleed. The snow by the cliff band was totally rotten and unsupportive, likely largely faceted. The new snow from 3/16 released (about 4in) and appears to have stepped down a bit near the crown (maybe 10in). This photo shows me looking up towards the crown. The fracture of the right flank probably ran 100 feet in length and for the most part consisted of just the new snow from 3/16. There didn’t appear to be a considerable left flank.