| Trigger | Skier | Remote Trigger | 0 |
| Avalanche Type | Soft Slab | Aspect | North Northwest |
| Elevation | 4400ft | Slope Angle | 45deg |
| Crown Depth | 6in | Width | 150ft |
| Vertical Run | 300ft |
Avalanche: Hatcher Pass
Location: Marmot NW Face
5″ fresh snow, pretty wet at the parking lot, dried out with elevation, but not fully. Natural avalanches from storm, covered in a couple of inches of snow.
Avalanche Details
Skied off the top of Marmot Ridge onto the N face. Started skiing right of the fall-line on one of those spiney ridges, and then cut skiers left to get on top of it, then the storm slab released. A section broke out, was not deep enough to carry me. I then continued cutting and another storm slab released. Avalanches stopped before the end of the couloir / apron.
Obvious signs of instability
| Recent Avalanches? | Yes |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observer Comments
Small natural avalanches from storm. New snow.
Weather
Light to no wind, mostly cloudy, below freezing on ridge tops.
Snow surface
A noticeable dense slab on top, definite wind loading, possible soft wind slabs. New snow was wet at the parking lot; progressively dried with elevation but still heavy at the ridge top.
Snowpack
No snow science was performed