| Trigger | Skier | Remote Trigger | 0 |
| Avalanche Type | 0 | Aspect | South |
| Elevation | 3200ft | Slope Angle | 37deg |
| Crown Depth | 8in | Width | 50ft |
| Vertical Run | 1000ft |
Avalanche: Summit
Location: Tenderfoot Ridge, south facing chute
Traditional approach. Up the former rope tow, past the att cell tower. Then taking the ridge line toward the summit.
Avalanche Details
Planned to ski one of the further back chutes. Based on the thinner snow pack and wind scoring of the ridge line we opted for a lower entry into chute. On my initial ski cut a wind slab released. It propagated down and across for roughly 50 feet sliding down toward the drainage. The depth of snow was 8"-12" very fast moving, pulled out to the ground. Mostly light. Wind affected snow slid.
I skied to an island of safety and watched the snow spill into the valley floor. We then opted to retreat back down the ridge and ski a mellow open glade back to the car.
Obvious signs of instability
| Recent Avalanches? | No |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | Yes |
Observer Comments
Shallow snow depth. Poorly bonded to the tundra. Sugary facets with roughly a foot wind churned snow on top.
Weather
2-3" of new snow. No wind until above tree line and on the ridge. Gusts of maybe 15mph. Tempature in the upper 20's
Snow surface
New snow 2-3" wind affected
Snowpack
Shallow snow depth. 3 defined layers. Base, sugary facets 2-4" sitting on tundra. Middle, 8" of soft condensed snow, Top, 2-3" new snow churned by the wind hasn't bonded to mid layer.
Crown face
Pano of slide