| Trigger | Skier | Remote Trigger | No |
| Avalanche Type | Soft Slab | Aspect | Northwest |
| Elevation | 2700ft | Slope Angle | 38deg |
| Crown Depth | 20in | Width | 20ft |
| Vertical Run | 10ft |
Avalanche: Girdwood
Location: Magpie
Cruised up the road to the Crow Pass trailhead, negotiated the creek and made our way up to the top of the alders in the Magpie bowl. Descended without incident, ski cutting a small test slope with productive results.
Avalanche Details
Ski cut a small test slope on the way down, broke at my skis and propagated 20 feet forward down the slope
Obvious signs of instability
| Recent Avalanches? | Yes |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | Yes |
Observer Comments
Shooting cracks, rapid warming, strong winds, moderate snow transport, and recent natural avalanches were all observed.
Weather
The approaching storm was ramping up throughout the tour, increasing winds and deteriorating visibility.
Snow surface
Wind textured soft snow with 1F breakable layer of wind hardened snow below 15cm below the surface.
Snowpack
Dug a pit just above the last group of alders at 3100'. Slope angle was 24°, HS of only 138 cm, but a mostly similar structure reflecting the widespread set up around the region. 30 cm of soft but progressively stiffer F, 4F and 1F snow sitting on an impressive 20 cm band of facets and the stout P halloween crust with 1F snow to the ground below. CT 13 and ECTP 13, sudden collapse at the facets/crust interface 50 cm down.