Skier Triggered Avalanches on Incline Peak

5 skier-triggered avalanches were observed on Southeast, East and Northeast aspects on Incline Peak.

The region seemed to have significant recent surface hoar development and the strong winds and blowing snow had these aspects loaded with 10-20cm of deposited snow.

Shooting cracks were visible while traversing the ridge, and in 3/5 cases the slides were started without any additional loading or pressure by the skier.

The slides vary in size from 10 feet wide and 30 feet long, to one larger slide that was about 30 feet wide and about 125 feet long with a section downslope and south of the skiers that was remotely triggered. In every case, the crown was only 3-8 inches deep and not enough to bury a skier.

Wind direction was inconsistent and swirling at the ridge tops, creating wind loading on NW, N, NE, E, SE, S, and SW slopes (did not travel over western aspects, so can not confirm).

As the day progressed from 7:00am to 12:30pm, wind speed was increasing, deposited snow was increasing at a rapid rate and signs of instability were becoming more readily visible on the noted aspects in this report.