Loose Wet Point Releases on Secret Peak

Location Name: 
Secret Peak
Region: 
West Shore Area
Date and time of avalanche (best estimate if unknown): 
Thu, 03/02/2017 - 23:05
Location Map: 
United States
38° 58' 21.5616" N, 120° 7' 12.4824" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent avalanche activity
Rapid warming
Observation made by: Forecaster
Avalanche Observations
Avalanche Type: 
Wet
Loose/Point-Release
Slope: 
39degrees
Trigger type: 
Natural
Crown Height: 
Less than 1 ft
Aspect: 
Southeast
Weak Layer: 
Other
Avalanche Width: 
30ft.
Terrain: 
Near Treeline
Elevation: 
8 800ft.
Bed Surface: 
Other - explain below
Avalanche Length: 
200ft.
Number of similar avalanches: 
3
More detailed information about the avalanche: 

We watched some small loose wet point releases occur on a sun-exposed SE aspect at 11:00am. The slides in the looker's left half of the photo occurred at that time. The slides in the looker's right half were older, likely from yesterday. They started near the rocks as small point releases and entrained more snow and fanned out to about 30 wide as the wet snow moved down the slope. They did not involve enough snow to bury a person, but they could have knocked someone off his/her skis.

Wet sticky surface snow existed on the sun-exposed E-SE-S-SW aspects in this area by 11 am. At that time some cold soft snow still existed on the true N aspects. By 1 pm the warming temperatures and sun had caused wet sticky snow to form on E-NE aspects and even on some of the N aspects below 8000.

Avalanche Photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Air temperature trend: 
Warming