Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
KDHObservation Date:
June 15, 2022Submitted:
June 16, 2022Zone or Region:
West NorthActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Twin Sisters rangeTriggered Avalanches
Did you trigger any avalanches?
YesWas it intentional?
NoAvalanche Type:
Wet LooseSize:
Size 1: Relatively harmless to peopleElevation:
ATLAspect:
NComments:
I triggered a small wet-loose avalanche on a kickturn reascending a slope we had already skied. The snow was mushy and slowly carried me downslope. I would stand on my skis to move out of the slide, but this would trigger more snow that continued to carry me downwards. The bed surface was too soft to slow me down. After riding about 100' downslope, I was able to move out of the slide where the angle was lower and was uninjured. The slide stopped shortly below me. Luckily, my partners were out of the way, and this slope was short and had a good runout. Still, it was a wake-up moment and reminder not to get complacent in mushy but "manageable" (apparently not really) conditions.Signs of Unstable Snow
Observations
From 5000-6500' there is 3-4" of fresh snow that is mushy. The snowpack underneath is also wet but overall more consolidated. Until early afternoon only the fresh snow was moving under ski cuts and was not entraining. Later afternoon, when this incident occured, the snow began to gouge deeper and build into real avalanches. Besides the rider who was caught, another skier triggered a size 2 avy which traveled much farther on a different slope. Snow is still very transitional and mushy except below the most recent snowline where it's more consolidated and skis like corn.
Most cornices have fallen and walls have shed, but we did notice some areas with glide potential remaining.
Weather was worse than expected, with wind throughout the day, high clouds, and rain moving in by afternoon.