Surprise Heat?
Quick reportrprather · Dec 23, 2024 · Waterton Lakes
Avalanche
- Run Length
- 40
- Slab Width
- 20
- Trigger Type
- skier
- Avalanche Size
- 2
- Slab Thickness
- 40
- Trigger Sub Type
- accidental
- Start Zone Aspect
- W
- Vegetation Cover
- sparseTrees
- Start Zone Incline
- 30
- Avalanche Character
- deepPersistentSlab, looseWet
- Crust Near Weak Layer
- 1
- Number Of Avalanches
- 1
- Start Zone Elevation
- 2040
- Runout Zone Elevation
- 2000
- Avalanche Observation
- 12hrsAgo
- Weak Layer Crystal Type
- facets
- Start Zone Elevation Band
- btl
- Avalanche Occurrence Datetime
- 2024-12-23T21:00:00.000Z
Some weird snow across the west aspect of Ogden, 3rd slide path was very mixed depths and snow got to cake density slab 2/3rd of the way up. We jumped into the trees to avoid snow hazards. Snow was decent at reeling for shorter laps. On the exit we tried to find less dense Christmas tree exits. Some rocky outcropping provided more variable depths of snow. Sun peaked out quite strong for about a half hour in the early afternoon with some surprisingly strong heat. Pinwheeling started so we were already heads-up. I dropped into a 50m section skiing it piecemeal. On one turn my tails kicked off the slide as I moved past the pocket overhanging a cliff.