Matier NW Face

Quick report

Weather

cold, cloudy, foggy

Ride Type

steepSlopes, alpineSlopes

Riding Quality

ok

Snow Conditions

windAffected, hard

Avalanche Conditions

avalancheConditionSlab

Skied Matier NW Face approaching from the north ridge. Bootpack up the north ridge produced pockets of wind affected snow. CT result 19 20cm down, PF. Triggered a size 0.5 and 2.5 from the top of the NW face while ski cutting the slope on belay. Read the avalanche section for more details.

Weather

Wind Speed

windSpeedCalm

Sky Condition

overcast

Precipitation Type

none

Snowpack

Depth

250

Test Failure Depth

10

Avalanche

Run Length

300

Trigger Type

skier

Wind Exposure

crossLoadedSlope

Avalanche Size

2.5

Trigger Sub Type

intentional

Start Zone Aspect

NW

Start Zone Incline

45

Avalanche Character

windSlab

Crust Near Weak Layer

1

Number Of Avalanches

2-5

Start Zone Elevation

2750

Runout Zone Elevation

2550

Avalanche Observation

24to48hrsAgo

Start Zone Elevation Band

alp

Avalanche Occurrence Datetime

2024-12-29T21:30:00.000Z

Bootpack to the summit of Matier via the north ridge showed signs of wind affected snow on the upper ridge. A quick CT showed a planar fracture 20cm down on 19 taps on a smooth surface. With some uncertainty of the reactivity of the recent 20-30cm of snow on the NW face and if/how it was wind affected, we decided to ski cut the entrance to the NW Face on belay. Initial ski cut from skiers right to left across the opening of the face triggered a size 0.5 slab avalanche on the smooth crust layer. It did not step down. A subsequent ski cut left to right to a rocky outcrop again triggered an initial size 0.5 wind slab avalanche, but this time it continually stepped down the face, initially just 10-20m wide, then across to the north for ~75-100m (what is seen in the photo) producing a variable thickness 25-50cm crown line. Final result was approx size 2.5. Our group of four skiers made our way down the face skiing the cleared path.