Vail & Summit County

Avalanche

Anonymous · Dec 5, 2019 · Vail & Summit County

View on map

Weather

Snow was on and off during our 4 hour tour, never more than S-1. Wind was calm to moderate with the occasional gust in the 20s or so. We did not take any temps or measure HS at any point.

Snowpack

We did not take any intentional obs other than with our ski poles. Shallow snowpack, facets at the ground with a crust overlaying and then soft slab over top of that.

Avalanche

Just before we broke above tree line the skier breaking trail along the ridge with very steep terrain below (right hand side / northerly aspect) heard a large whumph, and saw shooting cracks behind him as a small D 0.5 soft slab broke on a path on the other side of the ridge he had just passed. Remotely triggered pocket on the slope on the other side of the ridge from roughly 30 ft away at the edge of the ridge. Slab ran on very steep rocky terrain to valley floor below maybe 400ft(?)