Wind Slab Avalanches on Mt. Judah and Wildflower Ridge

Location Name: 
Wildflower Ridge / Mt. Judah
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Observation Date & Time: 
Saturday, January 11, 2020 - 17:00
Location: 
39.303838, -120.317378
See map: CalTopo
Is this an Avalanche Observation?: 
Yes


Conditions Alerts:

  • Avalanche Activity
  • Recent Loading
  • Recent Loading›Blowing Snow

Terrain Alerts: 
Slopes Steeper than 30 degrees
Obvious Slide Path
Terrain Matches the Advisory
Observation made by: Forecaster

Tabs

Observation
Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions: 

While touring around Wildflower Ridge and Judah on 1/12/2020 we saw these 2 avalanches on the E face of Judah and 2 on the NE facing Wildflower Ridge. They looked like they occurred on 1/11/2020. They were refilling with wind drifted snow on 1/12/2020. The exact timing and triggers of these avalanches are unknown. 

Hide Avalanche Details
Avalanche Type: 
Wind Slab
Failure Plane/Weak Layer: 
Unknown
Additional number of similar avalanches: 
3
Hide Trigger
Trigger: 
Unknown
Hide Terrain
Start Zone Slope Angle: 
38degrees
Aspect: 
East
Starting Elevation: 
above-treeline
Hide Size
Destructive Size: 
D2 Could bury, injure, or kill a person.
Relative Size: 
R2 Small
Crown Height: 
1 ft
Avalanche Width (Average width): 
60ft.
Avalanche Length (Vertical Run): 
100ft.
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