Hard slab avalanche

Map for Mountain Information Network report: Hard slab avalanche

Information

Activity
Skiing

Group details

Total in the group?
2
People fully buried?
0
People partly buried with impaired breathing?
0
People partly buried with normal breathing?
1
People not injured (caught but not buried)?
1
People injured (caught but not buried)?
0
People involved?
2

Terrain details

Terrain shape at trigger point
Planar
Snow depth at trigger point
Deep
Terrain traps
  • Gully or depression
  • Slope transition or bench
  • Trees

Comments

A notable avalanche got skier triggered today in the alpine. 1 out of the 2 of us got taken by the speed and impressive mass of the hard slab avalanche, but could get out of the moving snow by himself once it settled. 380m long and 180m wide, about 45cm deep. Today was really windy in the sub-alpine and alpine (as well as reverse loading below treeline) and most west, north and northwest slopes got as a result deep pockets of wind-transported snow and heavy wind effect and fragile slabs. The amount of new snow was considerable too, with something close to 30cm in the last 12hrs but closer to 45cm in the last 24hrs.