Avalanche: Turnagain

Location: Bertha Creek

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Traveled from Cornbiscuit lot up Bertha Creek to south ridge leading up to (near) Corner Pocket. We ended up skiing our skin track back out. No camera today, so no photos.

Avalanche Details
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Trigger CorniceRemote Trigger0
Avalanche Type Soft SlabAspect North
ElevationunknownSlope Angleunknown
Crown Depth 8inWidthunknown
Vertical Rununknown  
Avalanche Details

We intentionally kicked off a (approx 4' x 4') chunk of cornice into Corner Pocket. About 20 ft. off the ridge the cornice chunk triggered a slab about 8-10 in. thick, and looked like it ran the length of the chute (viz was poor). From what we could see, the crown extended across the entire chute. One in the party went to look at the crown, and the famous buried surface hoar was the culprit. The slab was made up of wind buffed, consolidated soft snow sitting on the buried surface hoar. Bed surface was old snow. It was surprising how little it took for it to go as the cornice piece wasn't very large. A quick pole/hand isolation column above the crown popped with very little effort.

Red Flags
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Observer Comments

We had some whumphing in the flats on the valley bottom in the willows and alders, but nothing on or leading up to the ridge.

Weather & Snow Characteristics
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Weather

Teens, light breeze, day started cloudy but moved to low viz and light snow falling.

Snow surface

Variable soft snow, wind buff, and mild breakable wind crust.

Snowpack

Varied from 12" depth to several feet (take apart pole length of more than 3). The recent new snow (Thursday) was on top of avalanche debris almost to the valley floor from one of the gully's off of the south face of Cornbiscuit ridge. There were glide cracks visible all over Goldpan area, and on the ridge behind Superbowl.