Hard slab avalanche

Map for Mountain Information Network report: Hard slab avalanche

Snow conditions

Riding quality was:
Good
Snow conditions were:
  • Powder
We rode:
  • Alpine slopes
  • Steep slopes

Information

The day was:
  • Cloudy
  • Stormy
  • Sunny
  • Windy
Avalanche conditions
  • Slab avalanches today or yesterday.
  • 30cm + of new snow, or significant drifting, or rain in the last 48 hours.

Comments

We skied the Dome Couloir today, which seemed a good idea at first, but wasn’t.

The recent and ongoing wind-loading brought more snow than expected (anywhere between 15cm, to 90cm (close to the Darkside) in places). I triggered a 62cm deep, 14m wide (start zone then spread out further) and 220m long hard slab avalanche. The slab broke above me, but luckily I was anchored just enough by my skis and up-slope pole. In did take away most of the hang fire in the couloir, and obviously down the fan, and wrapped around the Dome.

The wind-loading carried on, on most of the way up, and the wind died down once back on Shames' side.

Lots of wind on the Dome and its north side, many more evidence of fragility in the new storm snow, some more snow throughout the AM and a lot of sun.