Just a reminder that winds can very easily move light density snow and build reactive wind slabs. Keep your avalanche eyeballs peeled, do not fall into complacency. Pay close attention to wind speeds, wind flagging, surface texture, and any "drummy" or hollow feeling snow. A slope that did not have wind effect yesterday, may today.
Avalanche: Hatcher Pass
Location: North side 4600, half way up
Up ridge to 4600, blue sky, mild temps, foot of snow, wind steady out of south maybe 15mph, significant transport into north side. Skied other side. Climbed back up, another party of three had skied the north next to our tracks from day before. They had cut some sensitive fresh wind slab at top, with propagation. One of our group did some checking, and triggered more fresh wind slab, and got a sympathetic larger release, next chute up, went all the way past lower rock cliff. Went back to Women’s run, not wind affected, couple runs in nice snow. Heads up for wind slab.
Forecaster Comments
| Trigger | Skier | Remote Trigger | 0 |
| Avalanche Type | Soft Slab | Aspect | North |
| Elevation | 4200ft | Slope Angle | 38deg |
| Crown Depth | 12in | Width | unknown |
| Vertical Run | unknown |
Avalanche Details
Intentional triggered, soft slab, reactive, propagation to adjacent slopes, fast moving, powder blast visible behind lower rock cliff bench.
Obvious signs of instability
| Recent Avalanches? | Yes |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | Yes |
Observer Comments
Active wind loading, foot of loose snow rapidly transporting. Other party triggered soft slab at scarp loading zone.
Weather
Blue sky, mild temps, steady south wind 15 mph. Been skiing it for days, but wind was game changer
Snow surface
Settled powder around a foot, supportive, few rocks hit, but they are about. Willow wickets at lower elev.
Snowpack
No pit, foot of powder with no wind affect until now.