Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
Enji CooperObservation Date:
February 24, 2022Submitted:
February 24, 2022Zone or Region:
Snoqualmie PassActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Summit West (off-piste)Triggered Avalanches
Did you trigger any avalanches?
YesWas it intentional?
NoAvalanche Type:
Soft SlabSize:
Size 1: Relatively harmless to peopleElevation:
3.2k'Aspect:
NComments:
Triggered localized storm snow with weak storm slab characteristics by accident when skinning. The layer was poorly bonded to the hard crust underneath and I slid downhill about 20'.Signs of Unstable Snow
Observations
Followed the uphill skin track at Summit West, but failed to turn at the right time and so had to do steep kick turns with my splitboard up a 30°+ loaded slope--the mini-gully on the north side near the ski boundary (47.42484, -121.42593). I had run into stableish on-piste snow that was easy to skin up, but the off-piste snow in the section I tried ascending was almost storm snow over ice in the morning (around 9:30). Skinning up the steep slope was grueling, I slid downhill, then gave up and decided to boot it up the hillside. It was still a bit difficult to get a purchase with my hard boots (no crampons), but I could kick in small steps (1-2" deep).
The snow was nice to ride down around 10:15. Storm snow on crust.
Weather was very obscured in the morning when I arrived (around 8:30); clouds created an inversion below 4k'/5k' (it looked like Snoqualmie Mt summit was clearer). Temps stayed below freezing (mid to upper 20s according to my car).