Small wind slab on lower Mt. Rose

Location Name: 
Mt. Rose
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Observation Date & Time: 
Thursday, December 30, 2021 - 12:15
Location: 
39.342833, -119.892576
See map: CalTopo
Is this an Avalanche Observation?: 
Yes


Conditions Alerts:

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

Terrain Alerts: 
Terrain Matches the Advisory
Observation made by: Public

Tabs

Observation
Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions: 

Skiing back along skin track from East shoulder of Mt. Rose proper. Went through gully right above the aspen grove and triggered a small wind slab above and around my self. Crown was roughly 15-20 yards above where my tracks entered the gulley. I was not caught as I had enough momentum across the hill allready. Lots of wind transport and very gusty tour up to the point. Skin track was covered in less than five minutes with new blown snow. No signs of shooting cracks or whumfing but we were sticking to lower angle and tree heavy aspects to hide from the wind. Low consequence encounter but shows how much snow the winds have been moving and how sensitive the wind slabs can be if you put a trigger in the right spot. 

Hide Avalanche Details
Avalanche Type: 
Wind Slab
Failure Plane/Weak Layer: 
Storm Snow
Hide Trigger
Trigger: 
Skier
Trigger Modifier: 
Accidentally Triggered
Hide Terrain
Start Zone Slope Angle: 
30degrees
Aspect: 
North
Starting Elevation: 
below-treeline
Hide Size
Destructive Size: 
D1 Relatively harmless to people.
Relative Size: 
R1 Very Small
Crown Height: 
1 ft
Avalanche Width (Average width): 
50ft.
Avalanche Length (Vertical Run): 
50ft.
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