Observation: Public

Name:

Craig Muderlak

Observation Date:

April 1, 2023

Submitted:

April 1, 2023

Zone or Region:

Stevens Pass

Activity:

Skiing/Snowboarding

Location:

Vahalla / Odín

Did you trigger any avalanches?

Yes

Was it intentional?

Yes

Avalanche Type:

Soft Slab

Size:

Size 1: Relatively harmless to people

Elevation:

5300

Aspect:

NE

Comments:

6”- 8” deep / 15’-20’ wide / 15-20’ long

Did you see shooting cracks?

Yes

Did you experience collapsing or whumpfing?

No

Below 4500’ storm snow bonded well to wet 3/31 crust. Above 4500’ , colder snow not bonded as well to underlying crust. Strong winds and moderate/strong snow transport in exposed terrain as well as shallow windslab development. I intentionally triggered a D1 soft storm slab on a NE aspect @5300’. Storm snow on Solar slopes observed below 4600’ on Lichtenberg warmed up in the afternoon.

Test slope, D1 soft slab - NE aspect, 5300’