Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
Tyler ChristensenObservation Date:
November 15, 2020Submitted:
November 15, 2020Zone or Region:
West NorthActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Twin Lakes Skagway PassTriggered Avalanches
Did you trigger any avalanches?
YesWas it intentional?
NoAvalanche Type:
Soft SlabSize:
Size 2: Could bury, injure, or kill a personElevation:
5400ftAspect:
NComments:
Trigger point just above 48.952, -121.628. Crown depth approximately 1 ft max, probably about 100ft wide. Ran about 125 vertical feet.Signs of Unstable Snow
Did you see shooting cracks?
Yes, IsolatedDid you experience collapsing or whumpfing?
Yes, IsolatedObservations
This avalanche occurred while skinning up along a ridge-line. Near the top the slope opened up more while exiting the ridge and it got somewhat deeper, and about 10-20ft below the top of the slope, the top was triggered by skinning. Both members of the party were carried 20-30 feet down the slope and were able to self rescue with only a very minor knee strain. Minor wind slab was observed in other regions of the tour, but it did not seem reactive upon skiing. Shortly before triggering, a roughly 6 foot shooting crack was observed when skin turning uphill. The trigger propagated out into the snow bowl to our east.
The failure was in the layer between snow that fell prior to 11/14, and the snow that fell overnight on the night of 11/14-11/15. There was heavy wind transport in the morning when touring.
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