2009/2010

Remotely triggered Avalanche on far skiers left in the Bowl. This slide was triggered from over 200' away when a skier fell while skiing. The slide was 2-4' deep and ran on the ground / old facets. It ran 600' down with 3-4' of debris. This was the exact path of an earlier avalanche this season from December 17th. No other signs of Instability were experienced before this slide occured.

Close up of crown and bed surface

Mid-debris pile was about 3'-4' deep

R4-D1.5 on approx. 60' wide gully. While skiing down to a stopping point above a convex roll, noticed cracking at my feet (see pic). Crack shot out from my feet about 10' to the NW, then 90 deg back into gully. Notice the trigger point (small pine) right at the start of the crack in the pic. Came to a stop, turned to let ski partner know to traverse around this when I noticed nearly the entire gully begin sliding. Crown was about 50' wide, R flank at the trees and L flank tracking the bottom of the roll into the gully. Crown at trigger was approx. 24"-30", tapering across to opposite flank. Ran approx. 200' down

Crack at feet...

Crown

Track

South, 38 degrees, 12,000', SS-AMr-R4-D2-I. The avalanche was triggered from 400-600' remotely (see photo) was approximately 2-3' deep, 80' wide, and ran 400' and partially buried someone. I suspect this slide failed on old sun crust before the storm. Rider # 1 got stuck in flats below the path. Rider # 2 went past # 1 and turned around in flats and triggered the slides remotely from below. Rider 2 triggered three different slides over 600' away and the third slide above rider 1 came down and struck rider 1 and his sled. His sled rolled on top of him and he was partially buried with his head and hand just above the snow. The party of two carried avalanche rescue gear and there were no injuries sustained. Interestingly the slide furthest away (#1) ran first, and the closest (#3) ran last?

Skier Triggered Slide in Evans Basin, a SE aspect above treeline that had received strong wind loading. SS-AS-R3-D2-I

"Slide was triggered by second skier, while slope cutting top of ridge. The slide broke at feet at the very top of the slope. A few seconds after main slide released there was propagation in both directions. Slide width was about 200+ feet. Crown varied from 12 inches to over 24 inches. First rider down skied in less protected terrain so the windslab was thin and hard and didnt react."

The slope failed on buried surface hoar. "Bed surface was consolidated snow from mid December storms. Failure was with surface hoar that was buried by last weeks snow and wind."

"Debris was distributed fairly even although there were two places where it plied up to 5 or 6 feet deep."

A small skier triggered avalanche on Schuykill Ridge 1/7/10 "Skied Schuylkill ridge. New windloading, very cohesive new snow. 4-6" new snow. Avalanche activity: Skier triggered avi. NE 10,200 approx. 35 deg gully. I ski cut a gully in question. With a few seconds delay, a slab released 30meters above my cut. SS-AS-R2-D1. Crown was 16" at top where it collapsed at a group of willow bushes on old facets exposing the ground . Low energy. Ran about 100 yards."
AS

11,800', East, 38 degrees. SS-AE-R5-D2.5-I. This slide was approx. 500 feet wide, 12-20 inches deep, and ran 700' down. It ran on an old sun crust with some small facets on top of the crust

This slide was observed on 12/24/09, but the avalanche was 2-3 days old.

we were skiing the west side of coney's and i stopped on a rib and it fractured 2 feet above me(a 10' long crack), settled and did not slide, then 20 seconds later 60-70 yards across the slope a wind loaded slab on a east facing convex roll released- shallow trees on one side of the slide and shallow rocks on the other side with a crown about 3' in the center.

West, 36-38 degrees, 11,200': SS-ASr-R3-D1.5-O This was triggered remotely from 50' above a steep convex roll. Crown 50' wide, 46" deep, on facets 3mm. Blocks ran into a tree and did not run very far.

West, 36-38 degrees, 11,200': SS-ASc-R2-D2-O This slide was triggered on a ski cut. Crown 30' Wide, 40 inches deep on facets and ran 350'

20091213 SS-ASr-R3-D2-I North @ 11,500 ft
"While climbing skin track west of 7 bowls huge collapse remotely triggered all of steep glades just west of 7 bowls...Slab slid on buried surface hoar."

Located at 10,400' , just above Lake Irwin.
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