Widespread Storm Snow and Wind Slab Avalanches on Andesite Peak

On the lower slopes of Andesite Ridge, stepping onto wind-loaded low angle slopes above steeper wind-loaded slopes triggered wind slab avalanche on the slopes below. These avalanches propagated around rocks and would often entrain the entire slope. They were very easy to trigger.

Larger and still very easy to trigger wind slabs existed in near treeline terrain.

Near the summit of Andesite Peak stepping near wind loaded test slopes released 1 to 2 ft deep wind slabs. While skinning up the ridge we kicked a small (laptop sized) cornice piece onto the steeper more open ENE facing side of Andesite and it released a wind slab that propagated from one side of Andesite to the other and caused another wind slab avalanche to sympathetically release on a nearby slope.  One test slope slid naturally after an oven-sized piece of cornice fell onto the slope.

Numerous small storm slab avalanches occurred in near and below treeline terrain on all aspects on any slope steeper than 35 degrees. These were very sensitive and some test slopes failed when I touched them with my pole. Skinning by below small test slopes also triggered small test slopes. Several natural storm slab avalanches had also occurred. These storm slabs were failing at the interface between the old lighter snow and new heavier snow. Evidence of this upside down snowpack was widespread and easy to find. Ski cuts on slopes less than 35 degrees triggered large shooting cracks and one low angle slope (29 to 30 degrees) shattered but did not slide downhill.