Size 1.5 on Vantage NE Face
Quick reportmikfriesen · Jan 11, 2025 · Duffey
Avalanche
- Run Length
- 150
- Slab Width
- 40
- Trigger Type
- skier
- Wind Exposure
- leeSlope
- Avalanche Size
- 1.5
- Trigger Sub Type
- accidental
- Start Zone Aspect
- NE
- Vegetation Cover
- openSlope
- Start Zone Incline
- 40
- Avalanche Character
- stormSlab, windSlab
- Crust Near Weak Layer
- 1
- Number Of Avalanches
- 2-5
- Start Zone Elevation
- 2200
- Runout Zone Elevation
- 2070
- Weak Layer Crystal Type
- stormSnow, surfaceHoar
- Start Zone Elevation Band
- alp
- Avalanche Occurrence Datetime
- 2025-01-11T22:45:00.000Z
We had 3 size 1 avalanches on test slopes run, on NE/N/NW aspects, on slopes as low-angle as 28 degrees, involving slabby, wind-affected snow on surface hoar (and maybe sun crust). Soft areas of snow (less consolidated) seemed less reactive. Nevertheless, a ski cut across the steep opening of the NE face on the soft wind-deposited snow resulted in a 40m wide, 20-25cm thick avalanche that ran to the bottom of the slope (150m ish). The avalanche started below the ski cut and no one was involved. Note: The debris field was on a quite gradually changing slope; we assessed it as a size 1.5 for that reason; a large amount of snow was involved but it was deposited evenly and relatively thinly - we thought not deeply enough to bury an individual.
Incident
- Group Size
- 4
- Terrain Trap
- noTrap
- Group Activity
- skiing
- Number Injured
- 0
- Number Involved
- 0
- Number Caught Only
- 0
- Number Fully Buried
- 0
- Snow Depth Trigger Point
- deep
- Terrain Shape Trigger Point
- planar
- Number Partly Buried Able Breathing
- 0
- Number Partly Buried Impaired Breathing
- 0
Avalanche described in avalanche tab.