Wind Slabs on Jakes Peak

A skier triggered wind slab avalanche occurred sometime this morning at 7800' just below the bench on the normal winter skin track (avalanche location on observation coordinates).  The crown was up to 2' deep and had limited wind loading downslope below ridgeline.  This terrain was a small steep convex slope where slope angle decreased quickly below.  Avalanche was 50' wide and ran downslope over the existing skin track around 100' downslope.  A test pit was done at the crown with an ECTP-8 with a more dense wind slab on top of existing less dense storm snow.  S winds were mostly cross loading areas from the bench and up towards the peak.  Surface snow changed quickly from the bench to wind effected and thick snow.  At 8200' off of the main skin track another test pit was done to look at storm slab weakness.  Snowpit location had 95cm of total storm snow.  There was some weakness within the storm snow but ECT's did not show any propagation.  Informal observations at 8200' and below showed some cracking on steeper convexities but there was limited evidence with storm slab failures.  Loose dry sluffing did occur in some isolated areas. 

We received other information about avalanches from local skiers at the trailhead and on the skin track.  A larger skier triggered wind slab avalanche was reported just down from the peak.  Others reported what could have been wind slab or storm slab related avalanches on the upper mountain near the top in open terrain.