Observation: Public

Name:

John Barkhausen

Observation Date:

January 14, 2021

Submitted:

January 14, 2021

Zone or Region:

Mt Hood

Activity:

Skiing/Snowboarding

Location:

Above White River drainage

Did you observe any avalanches?

Yes

Avalanche Type:

Wet Slab

Size:

Size 4: Could destroy a railway car, large truck, several buildings, or a substantial amount of forest

Elevation:

9500’

Aspect:

S

Comments:

It looked like a very large wind slab went naturally at about 9500’, then stepped down or triggered a sympathetic wet slab when it got to the wetter snow lower down. The wet debris stretched down the canyon thousands of feet.

Photo:

Did you see shooting cracks?

Yes, Widespread

Did you experience collapsing or whumpfing?

No

I also saw numerous cracks, which I believe were glide cracks caused by the recent downpour. One was on the wall above WR drainage about the same elevation as the crown. Others were near/behind cornices.

Wet debris flow down the white river canyon