Wind slabs and bear spray

Location Name: Doris Ridge Observation date: Thursday, April 4, 2019 - 15:00	Is this an Avalanche Observation: Yes

Observation made by: Public

Location

Tabs

Quick Observation

Snowpack, Avalanche, Weather Images:

Travel Details

Region:

Swan Range - East Side (Hungry Horse Reservoir access)

Route Description:

TToured from the dam up to Doris Ridge above the lakes.

Activity:

Snowboarding

Snowpack Details

Snowpack and Weather Details:

Terrain

Elevation of observation:

3500-5000 ft

5000-6500 ft

Above 6500 ft

Aspect(s) of observation:

Red Flags:

Rapid or prolonged warming

Persistent Weak Layers:

Buried

More comments about the snowpack and weather:

Snowpack was wet all the way up to 6500/7000 feet. Above that, there was a few inches of moist/dry snow above a crust. This layer was sluffing/calving on my ascent until the snowpack began to dry out. Stomped on some small cornices and triggered a small wind slab directly under the ridge as I dropped in.

Air temperature:

Above Freezing

Snow line:

100000 ft

Sky Cover:

Partly Cloudy (SCT)

Avalanche Details

Avalanche Details:

Date and Time of Avalanche:

Thursday, April 4, 2019 - 12:00

Avalanche Type:

Soft Slab

Failure Plane/Weak Layer:

New/old snow interface

More information or comments about the avalanche:

Small, soft, short running slab that surprised me but did little else.

Trigger

Trigger:

snowboarder

Trigger Modifier:

Accidentally Triggered

Terrain

Aspect:

Northeast

Starting Elevation:

above-treeline

Size

Destructive Size:

D1 Relatively harmless to people.

Relative Size:

R1 Very Small

Avalanche Length (Vertical Run):

30ft.

Avalanche Width (Average width):

30ft.

Avalanche Location:

Avalanche Forecasts

Tutorials

Observations

Weather

Classes and Events

Videos

Online Resources

Friends of the Flathead Avalanche Center

Flathead Avalanche Center

Wind slabs and bear spray

Location

Tabs

Call

Contact

In Partnership With

In Partnership With

Avalanche Forecasts

Tutorials

Observations

Weather

Classes and Events

Videos

Online Resources

Friends of the Flathead Avalanche Center

Flathead Avalanche Center

Wind slabs and bear spray

Location

Tabs

Search

Follow or Subscribe

Call

Contact

In Partnership With

In Partnership With