Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
Chris SimmonsObservation Date:
January 30, 2021Submitted:
January 30, 2021Zone or Region:
West NorthActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Swift CreekTriggered Avalanches
Did you trigger any avalanches?
YesWas it intentional?
YesAvalanche Type:
Soft SlabSize:
Size 1: Relatively harmless to peopleElevation:
4700Aspect:
NWComments:
At the end of the day, returning to ski between "Cheap Date" and the rope-line, the lead skier intentionally cut the steep slope directly above the BC gate, entering from skiers right. It failed up to 24" deep, propagated +40 feet wide, and ran 10-15' to the cat track/road bed. It was remarkable how deep the slab failed and how far the failure propagated across the slope.Photo:
Signs of Unstable Snow
Observations
While skiing Swift Creek laps (4 runs total) today, heard first-hand three reports from teams returning from the NE shots off of Huntoon Point, reporting they had triggered soft slabs aprox 12" deep and D2. On our second run, while skiing Swift Creek East - the lead skier thought they saw shooting cracks but no failures were observed by the following two skiers. We decided to ski nothing as steep and headed north towards Swift Creek Southeast aspect. There (descent #3) the lead skier was surprised to a soft slab aprox. 150' below the start on a slight convexity between 30-35 degrees, failing 6-12" deep, 20' wide, ran 20' down-slope. Lap #4 was immediately to the left and had no incidences. At the end of the day, returning to ski between "Cheap Date" and the rope-line, the lead skier intentionally cut the steep slope directly above the BC gate, entering from skiers right. It failed up to 24" deep, propagated +40 feet wide, and ran 10-15' to the cat track/road bed. It was remarkable how deep the slab failed and how far the failure propagated across the slope.