Whale's back avalanche
Observed Dec 31, 2021, 11:00 a.m. PST · kootenay-boundary
This report was submitted with an older form.
Quick report
- Weather
- Cold, Sunny
- Ride type
- Mellow slopes, Dense trees, Open trees
- Stayed away
- Convex slopes, Steep slopes
- Riding quality
- Good
- Snow conditions
- Powder, Wind affected
- Avalanche conditions
- Avalanche condition slab
Avalanche report
- Comment
- Triggered on skiers left of the last safety island, few meters from the trees. Felt shallow rocks when turning towards the fall line to the forest and existing tracks, then saw the crown and shattered surface on the face I was steering away from. It propagated upward and went all around the open face. Fortunately the group of 3 below were sheltered when the slide went down. No one got caught, injured or buried, thank god. Swift response from other groups/individual, Whitewater team and NSAR to confirm everybody was accounted for, thanks to them. Contemplating life like never before. Be safe, prepared and avoid exposure.
- Run length
- 1300
- Slab width
- 500
- Trigger type
- Skier
- Wind exposure
- Cross loaded slope
- Avalanche size
- 3.5
- Trigger sub type
- Accidental
- Start zone aspect
- SE, S
- Vegetation cover
- Open slope
- Start zone incline
- 30
- Avalanche character
- Persistent slab
- Crust near weak layer
- Yes
- Number of avalanches
- 1
- Start zone elevation
- 1900
- Runout zone elevation
- 1500
- Weak layer burial date
- 2021-12-04
- Avalanche observation
- More than48hrs ago
- Weak layer crystal type
- Facets
- Start zone elevation band
- Tln
- Avalanche occurrence datetime
- 2021-12-31T19:00:00.000Z