The last avalanche forecast for the 2023-2024 season posted on April 21st. Thank you to all who contributed to the avalanche center this season through observations, volunteer time, and/or financial contributions.

Kingsbury Grade Snow conditions

Location Name: Kingsbury Grade Region: East Shore Area Observation Date & Time: Thursday, January 19, 2023 - 12:30
	Is this an Avalanche Observation?: Yes Conditions Alerts: Avalanche Activity Other Signs of Instability (cracking, whumpfing, collapsing)›Shooting Cracks

Observation made by: Public

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Observation

Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions:

Skied a number of different NE facing slopes today in the Kingsbury Grade zone between 5700' and 8200' with phenomenal ski conditions. Low density snow (6-10") was found overlaying more supportable storm snow from the previous weekend. Ski pen ranged from 15-35cm on the uptrack.

Observations to note.

A layer of PPgp and PPsd(rimed) from the 1/16AM storm was buried by 6-10" of snowfall in this zone during the AM hours of 1/19. In an obvious avalanche path, a SS-AS-R2D1.5-10"-800' was intentionally triggered on what appeared to be this interface.

On solar aspects below 7000', a crust was observed at the surface, or buried just below the new snow from the AM hours of 1/19.

Terrain Details

Terrain: elevations:

Near Treeline

Terrain: aspects:

Avalanche Details

Avalanche Type:

Storm Slab

Failure Plane/Weak Layer:

New/old snow interface

Trigger

Trigger:

Skier

Trigger Modifier:

Intentionally Triggered

Terrain

Start Zone Slope Angle:

40degrees

Aspect:

Northeast

Starting Elevation:

near-treeline

Size

Destructive Size:

D1 Relatively harmless to people.

Relative Size:

R2 Small

Crown Height:

Less than 1 ft

Avalanche Width (Average width):

50ft.

Avalanche Length (Vertical Run):

800ft.

People Involved

Number of people caught:

Number of partial burials:

Number of full burials:

Weather Details

Elevation of Observation:

7000 - 8000 ft.

Blowing Snow:

None

Wind Speed:

Light

Sky Cover:

Decreasing Clouds

Precipitation:

None

Air temperature:

Below Freezing

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