Irwin slides and surface hoar

CB Avalanche Center2014-15 Observations

Name: Zach Guy
Title: Irwin slides and surface hoar
Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 01/02/2015
Aspect: East, South, West
Elevation: 10,000-12,000 feet

Avalanches: 2 lb handshot initiated a persistent slab avalanche on a West aspect above treeline. Roughly 3 to 4 feet deep, ran ~1,000 feet. Mostly on Dec 13th interface. SS-AE-R4-D3-O. An airblast on a similar aspect produced a shallower slide, ~10″ deep that entrained enough snow to bury someone. SS-AB-R2-D2-U

Weather: Clear and calm all day.

Snowpack: Widespread surface hoar layer on all aspects and elevations. Needle-like, up to 3 or 4 mm at the higher elevations, decreased in size with decreasing elevation. A thin crust formed on steep southerly aspects.

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