"I saw two crowns from the ridge at 1430 today (2/4). One on the lower heavily wind loaded shoulder and one up high in the middle of the path. Not sure if they connected, or were separate. R3-D2.5. 2-4’ deep. The higher one was partially drifted in. My guess is ran yesterday with east winds or early today." Photo: GNFAC
East facing slope seen from Big Sky meadow after Sunday’s storm.
East facing slope seen from Big Sky meadow after Sunday’s storm. Photo: Don Mattusch
Saw this today while skiing. This crown is on a northeast aspect at about 8600 feet. Crown height 6-8 feet. It is mid path in the Great One. It seems to have naturally avalanched on Sunday during the storm, without a cornice trigger, after the wind event. All I can get here is that the slope was overloaded from storm snow, on top of a recently overgrown hard slab. Looks like it initiated higher up and pulled out much deeper below. Definitely a large hard slab avalanche. HS-N-R3-D3.5. Debris made it to the trees in the historic path. Otherwise, northeast aspects are loaded above 8500 feet, and I saw about 14 inches of new at 8000 feet. No loading during the day today.
Climber caused icefall that triggered a small avalanche. Thankfully, the bed surface was ice just a few inches down and the belayer was just outside the path. Minor entrainment Photo: Anonymous
Climber caused icefall that triggered a small avalanche. Thankfully, the bed surface was ice just a few inches down and the belayer was just outside the path. Minor entrainment Photo: Anonymous
Climber caused icefall that triggered a small avalanche. Thankfully, the bed surface was ice just a few inches down and the belayer was just outside the path. Minor entrainment Photo: Anonymous
"Climber caused icefall that triggered small avalanche. Thankfully, the bed surface was ice just a few inches down and belayer was just outside the path. Minor entrainment."
