Natural Wet Slab Avalanche on Mt. Price

This large avalanche was seen from Mt. Tallac and thought to have occurred on Sunday April 12 on the ridge between Mt. Price and Pyramid Peak above Lake Aloha.  The avalanche was on a NE aspect and failed midslope.  Starting elevation was estimated at 8900' running down to 8200-8400', making it 500-700' long and around 500' wide.  The wide propagation and depth of this slab avalanche is indicative of the weak layer being the March 24 buried surface hoar layer.  With rapid warming and a poor overnight refreeze on Saturday night, this avalanche is thought to be a wet slab that failed on the buried surface hoar layer buried 1 to 3' deep on Sunday.