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Avalanche north of bear meadow/toms meadow

Location Name: North of bear meadow, bear valley Region: Little Truckee Summit Areas Observation Date & Time: Saturday, December 26, 2020 - 12:15
Location: 39.426158, -120.419312 See map: CalTopo	Is this an Avalanche Observation?: Yes Conditions Alerts: Avalanche Activity Other Signs of Instability (cracking, whumpfing, collapsing) Other Signs of Instability (cracking, whumpfing, collapsing)›Shooting Cracks Recent Loading Recent Loading›Blowing Snow Recent Loading›More Than a Foot of New Snow Terrain Alerts: Slopes Steeper than 30 degrees Obvious Slide Path Trigger Points Terrain Matches the Advisory

Location Name:

North of bear meadow, bear valley

Region:

Little Truckee Summit Areas

Observation Date & Time:

Saturday, December 26, 2020 - 12:15

Location:

39.426158, -120.419312

See map: CalTopo

Is this an Avalanche Observation?:

Yes

Conditions Alerts:

Avalanche Activity
Other Signs of Instability (cracking, whumpfing, collapsing)
Other Signs of Instability (cracking, whumpfing, collapsing)›Shooting Cracks
Recent Loading
Recent Loading›Blowing Snow
Recent Loading›More Than a Foot of New Snow

Terrain Alerts:

Slopes Steeper than 30 degrees

Obvious Slide Path

Trigger Points

Terrain Matches the Advisory

Observation made by: Public

Tabs

Observation

Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions:

We came up on a avalanche incident around 12:10pm near Tom's meadow, bear meadow area. A sledder triggered an avalanche on a wind loaded slope. He was buried up to his chin. We showed up about two hours after the incident occurred, according to the crew involved.

About 400 yards before we saw the avalanche we observed large shooting cracks on the exact same slope/aspect/cornice

Terrain Details

Terrain: elevations:

Above Treeline

Avalanche Details

Avalanche Type:

Wind Slab

Failure Plane/Weak Layer:

New/old snow interface

Trigger

Trigger:

Snowmobiler

Trigger Modifier:

Accidentally Triggered

Terrain

Starting Elevation:

above-treeline

Size

Destructive Size:

D2 Could bury, injure, or kill a person.

Relative Size:

R3 Medium

Crown Height:

3 ft

Avalanche Width (Average width):

300ft.

People Involved

Number of people caught:

Number of partial burials:

Weather Details

Elevation of Observation:

7000 - 8000 ft.

Blowing Snow:

Light

Wind Speed:

Light

Sky Cover:

Overcast - Cloudy - 8/8 covered

Highest Precipitation Rate:

Very Light Snowfall (S-1 = up to .5cm /~.25 in per hour)

Precipitation:

Snow

Air temperature:

Below Freezing

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Avalanche north of bear meadow/toms meadow

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Avalanche north of bear meadow/toms meadow

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