Observation: Public

Location:

Granite Mountain

Comments:

Started the ski decent on the East Ridge at 5400ft then at approximately 5200ft cut the South Face going perpendicular to the mountain. When doing so, initiated 7-8 Wet Loose slides that all started from single separate initiation points and promptly propagated about 20-30 meters across 20ft below the Skiier. All of the wet slides linked with one another causing the whole face to form into a single wet slide. The slide ran for 2500ft-3000ft before hitting a shelf and launching snow 30-40ft into the air before losing visual. I'm sure it ran further down. I could hear it snapping trees and ripping up the chute itself on its full decent. It is labeled as a D2 but really was D2+ because of the length of the runout and power behind the slide. Finished the decent on the soft West shoulder and probed the Avalanche Shoot hoping not to find anybody, luckily when I got back to the parking lot it was empty except for my car.

Did you observe any avalanches? 

Yes

Comments:

Noticed remnants of a Natural Wet Loose avalanche starting the day at about 5000ft. You could see it from I-90 parked across the interstate looking at the South face. Made note of the potential hazard starting out the day. Looks like it was a natural release from the surface and was not initiated by any external force (ie: hiker, skier, Cornice, etc.) That being said, if you see Naturals occurring on the face you're about to ski... probably don't do it.

Photo: