Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
Zach MumfordObservation Date:
February 25, 2022Submitted:
February 25, 2022Zone or Region:
West NorthActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Mt. Baker BackcountryTriggered Avalanches
Did you trigger any avalanches?
YesWas it intentional?
NoAvalanche Type:
Soft SlabSize:
Size 2: Could bury, injure, or kill a personElevation:
5500Aspect:
NEComments:
Coming back over the top of the table Lou rain saddle about 300 vertical feet from the top the slide ran from the bottom of a rock and propagated about 100 feet in both directions. Slide path was about 200 feet wide at its widest point. About 1 ft deep on the rain crust layer from about a week ago.Signs of Unstable Snow
Observations
On the way up there was significant warming on the south side of table mountain with some small roller balls. About 10 am we decided to ski the saddle lookers right of table on the north, northeast aspect where there were several tracks and no signs of warming or wind loading. While the top of table was wind affected there were no cracks or other signs of instability. Based on the problems noted in the forecast as wind loading and warming over the course of the day, we decided to avoid both and ski a relatively protected section of the saddle. Between table and the mini AK area.
After dropping into the line about 300 feet, below any wind affect, the slide propagated from a point just below some shaded rock about 200 feet wide and 5-600 feet long. My partner saw the slide happen and skied out to the side and bottom. No skiers caught or carried. The slide surface seemed to be the rain/wet snow crust from about a week ago. The snow that did slide was light and not sun or wind affected.
Media
