Date of Observation: 11/18/2022
Name: Zach Guy Zach Kinler
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Upper East River, Nirvana Bowl on Baldy
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Observed a D1.5 Wind Slab that likely ran yesterday or overnight. Ski-triggered another Wind Slab from ridgeline adjacent to the natural. This one propagated a bit wider and reached D2 size entraining the softer snow in wind-protected terrain as it ran around 600 ft. Debris was up to 5 ft deep.
Weather: Partly Cloudy, felt like January, light NW winds with moderate gusts.
Snowpack: We traveled primarily on S and SE aspects near and above treeline. 4-5 inches of low-density, faceting snow is resting on crusts from earlier in November. As we gained elevation towards the ridge a thin wind crust was present on the surface. Closer to the ridge the wind crust grew to an obviously thicker slab up to 18″ thick. Northerly winds caused off-and-on snow transport onto southerly aspects.
Photos:
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Estimated avalanche date: 11/17/2022
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Baldy
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: SE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Hard Slab
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1.5
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet): 75
Avg. vertical run (feet): 600
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Aspect tipped ESE
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Estimated avalanche date: 11/18/2022
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Baldy
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: SE
Characteristics
Trigger: Skier
Trigger modifier: Controlled
Type: Hard Slab
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D2 – could bury, injure, or kill a person
Avg. crown height (inches): 10
Avg. width (feet): 100
Avg. vertical run (feet): 600
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments:
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