Dog Leg - persistent slab is alive and well

Riding quality was:

Good

Snow conditions were:

• Crusty
• Deep powder
• Powder
• Wind affected

We rode:

• Mellow slopes
• Steep slopes

We stayed away from:

• Alpine slopes
• Steep slopes

The day was:

• Cloudy
• Stormy
• Windy

Avalanche conditions

• Slab avalanches today or yesterday.
• 30cm + of new snow, or significant drifting, or rain in the last 48 hours.
• Whumpfing or drum-like sounds or shooting cracks.

Went up Glacier Crest to ski the Dog Leg. Opted to do a belayed ski cut and produced a size 2 avalanche that started right in the choke point. It ran full feature, 50-60 cms deep. Storm slab that failed on 5 cms of facets above the Feb 3 crust.

We skied crusty bed surface down and out of the feature and avoided the steep moraines at the bottom. There was 30-40 cms of powder at Ridge top, with a moderate easterly wind blowing snow up the slope.

No other skier triggered or natural avalanches observed, but suspect they are out there! It’s head up hockey out there, keep your head up if you’re crossing the middle!