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Skier triggered wind slab avalanche on Andesite Peak.

Location Name: Andesite Peak Region: Donner Summit Area Observation Date & Time: Saturday, March 3, 2018 - 12:30
Location: 39.351056, -120.365932 See map: CalTopo	Is this an Avalanche Observation?: Yes Conditions Alerts: Avalanche Activity Other Signs of Instability (cracking, whumpfing, collapsing) Terrain Alerts: Slopes Steeper than 30 degrees Obvious Slide Path Trigger Points Terrain Matches the Advisory

Observation made by: Forecaster

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Observation

Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions:

My partner and I saw the signs of this avalanche from the ski track. It happened sometime between noon and 1 pm. This was a soft wind slab with some loose dry characteristics. Some soft slab debris were visible. Skier entered the steepest most wind loaded portion of this slope and triggered the avalanche on the second turn. Tracks indicated that the skier had and skied out of it. Four previous tracks had been made in the lower angle portion of the slope to skier's right prior to the avalanche occurrence.

Avalanche Details

Avalanche Type:

Wind Slab

Failure Plane/Weak Layer:

Storm Snow

Trigger

Trigger:

skier

Trigger Modifier:

Accidentally Triggered

Terrain

Start Zone Slope Angle:

37degrees

Aspect:

Northeast

Starting Elevation:

above-treeline

Size

Destructive Size:

D1 Relatively harmless to people.

Relative Size:

R2 Small

Crown Height:

1 ft

Avalanche Width (Average width):

40ft.

Avalanche Length (Vertical Run):

70ft.

People Involved

Number of people caught:

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Skier triggered wind slab avalanche on Andesite Peak.

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Forecast Links

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Observations

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Skier triggered wind slab avalanche on Andesite Peak.

Conditions Alerts:

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