Avalanche: Turnagain

Location: Bench Pk and Placer Valley area

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Below are a few photos from two different areas that were passed along from two different groups.

Bench Peak zone: First photo is from a deep pocket that pulled out on a steep rollover in the Bench Peak area. The slab didn’t travel far because it was a short slope. This was on a northerly aspect around 3,000′. The crown was up to 7′ deep at the deepest. Snowmachiner triggered, no one caught. Uncertain if this was so deep due to windloading of the snow from the past 4 days or if it stepped down to a deeper weak layer. There was up to 3′ or more settled storm snow reported in this area.

Placer Valley – Squirrel Flats zone: Snowmachiner triggered storm slabs on very steep and unsupported rollovers. Around 2,200′ on a westerly aspect. These were all small and only able to trigger on really steep, almost cornice like features. Easily seen in photo. The slabs released on the crust from early April that sits under around 18″ to 2′ of settled storm snow from the past 4 days.

Avalanche Details
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Trigger UnknownRemote Trigger Unknown
Avalanche Type UnknownAspect Unknown
ElevationunknownSlope Angleunknown
Crown DepthunknownWidthunknown
Vertical Rununknown  
Photos & Video
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