Vail & Summit County

Avalanche

Seth Hyman · Jan 29, 2015 · Vail & Summit County

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Weather

Calm, Mostly clear and 40 at 3 pm. dropped below freezing at dusk.

Snowpack

wind slab covered by wind blown facets on low angle terrain. 40+ degree pitch on SE flank maintained the following characteristics from top to bottom: 3" ice crust on large facets. crust was pencil hard, but could easily be punched through and was not at all supportable. Facets were up to my chest in some areas. Ice layer from rapid melting and freezing st the surface covered the "apron" of all slopes from S to SE

Avalanche

Beginning of rollerball avalanching in Southern slopes