Phantom Couloir

Riding quality was:

Good

Snow conditions were:

• Crusty
• Wind affected

We rode:

• Alpine slopes
• Mellow slopes
• Steep slopes

The day was:

• Cloudy

Avalanche conditions

• Slab avalanches today or yesterday.

During our attempt to ski the Phantom couloir, we stopped approximately halfway due to the formation of wind slabs. Initial observations during the ascent did not reveal any signs of instability, such as sluffing, whoomphing, or shooting cracks. The existing conditions included old debris and sluff within the fan and couloir.

Observations:

First Wind Slab Incident: On our ascent, a small wind slab was triggered. It measured around 20cm at its thickest point and spanned a few meters across. Fortunately, the slab pocket was small, and I managed to maintain my stance.

Second Wind Slab Incident: While skiing down from a regrouping point on a small ledge on the left side of the couloir (at an elevation of ~2500m), another slab was triggered. This slab propagated much wider and possessed enough energy to potentially take a person down, especially considering the slope's steepness.

Weather Conditions: Light winds with partly sunny skies throughout the day.