Date of Observation: 01/04/2017
Name: Jeff Banks
Aspect: North, North East
Elevation: 9,000
Avalanches: nearly all of the bench slope above nordic center and hockey rink ran in 2 separate avalanches.
2 x SS-ASr-R4-D1.5-I/O
the initial failure was ~20cm down from the surface, then stepped down to the storm snow interface on NSF & SH ~40-50cm deep. Some areas of crown were small cornices (1F) buried in der Über fluff. Some slabs failed ~5cm within the NSF. Critical slope angle for release was ~37/38*
I also triggered a D1 and the whole slope fractured and slumped with an
Artificial subaru trigger (ca. 1996, rust colored) as I “rubbed” the snow bank around the lumberyard corner and rubbin’ son is racing.
Lot’s of R4 roof-a-lanches with well aimed single snowball triggers failing within the storm snow leaving ~15cm depth on the roofs.
Weather: snowy
Snowpack: widespread cracking and propagation going ~100m & triggering avalanches