20-21

A skier got a collapse and crack in Lick Creek. The collapse has sizeable displacement which is indicative of a very thick and unstable weak layer. Photo: W. Casper

Remote triggered a soft slab with a ski cut. Cut across top of slope and the slide initiated ten yards below. slide was approximately 25 feet at the crown and ran the whole length/ width of the gulley. Couldn’t see past the choke of the gulley . Thicker at the crown where snow was wind drifted 16 in~. Dug a quick pit after. HS 80 cm. Slab on top of crust and facets. No one was caught and we skinned back up and skied out our original skin track.

Natural, unwitnessed avalanche

Natural avalanche on SE wind loaded slope

Natural avalanche that ran during or prior to storm morning of 1/5/21. Photo: GNFAC

Today in Chrystal Creek my group of 4 skiers triggered 3 cornices. 2 remotely triggered and one small one while skiing off of it. The slope below was not steep enough to slide far. ~75cm of snow where we dug our pit on a North slope at 26 degrees. One slab ~23cm off the ground didn’t cause any real problems. Another hard slab ~35cm-42cm sitting on facets broke at ECTP7, CTPV. Had more whumphs than we could count and cracks that shot 30+ meters. Snow depth varied greatly, some wind loading.

Natural avalanche on Saddle Peak that ran during a heavy snow storm the morning of 1/5/21. Photo: GNFAC