Hydrophobia

Quick report

Weather

windy

Snow Conditions

powder

Avalanche Conditions

avalancheConditionSlab, avalancheConditionSnow

Avalanche

Run Length

200

Trigger Type

natural

Wind Exposure

downFlow

Avalanche Size

2

Start Zone Aspect

N

Avalanche Character

stormSlab, windSlab

Number Of Avalanches

2-5

Avalanche Observation

12hrsAgo

Start Zone Elevation Band

alp

Avalanche Occurrence Datetime

2023-11-10T19:02:00.000Z

While on Hydrophobia we had a full size avalanche go over us yesterday. Before starting up, winds we W-NW high to extreme, and they were not felt on the climb or at base. There was some spindrift bur manageable, as it was blown sideways at the top, with only little streams coming down ocassionally and being dissipated down the wall. 1h later and 2 pitches up heavy spindrift was relentless and high volume. We bailed, and heard 2 avalanches in the bowl around us in the Nophobia area. While at the last rap station down left (bolts are buried) and sheltered in the cave, we had a full size avalanche go over us. This was a proper avalanche that would have blown a leader off, probably ripped a party hanging at an anchor half way up, or fatally injured someone at the base. We heard several big impacts on the slope below us, over the general roar and the darkness of the avalanche. Once down after the show was over, we saw 7-8 microwave size craters puncturing the approach slope. I suspect this was a wind slab avalanche that went to the ground, big enough to dislodge and collect rocks in the process. Crucially, winds had shifted to the North in the meantime, and were now downflowing over the climb. While looking back on the walkout we were unable to even see the climb as it was buried under massive spindrift.