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Avalanche on Tamarack

Location Name: Tamarack Peak Region: Mount Rose Area Observation Date & Time: Friday, December 10, 2021 - 11:03
Location: 39.322821, -119.927162 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)›Collapsing / whumpfing noises Terrain Alerts: Slopes Steeper than 30 degrees Obvious Slide Path Trigger Points Terrain Traps Terrain Matches the Advisory

Observation made by: Guide at Blackbird Mountain Guides

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Observation

Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions:

The smaller wind slab was triggered by first rider intentionally. No riders were caught or buried. This was an R1 D1 about 40 feet wide and ran 15 feet. The bed surface was firm and icy and the wind slab was about 1 F hard

The larger wind slab was triggered by first skier who was able to exit. 2nd skier rode through without triggering another slab. This was an R2-D2.

First wind slab triggered R1D1

2nd wind slab triggered by another party. R2-D2.

Terrain Details

Terrain: elevations:

Above Treeline

Terrain: aspects:

Avalanche Details

Avalanche Type:

Wind Slab

Failure Plane/Weak Layer:

New/old snow interface

Additional number of similar avalanches:

Trigger

Trigger:

Skier

Trigger Modifier:

Accidentally Triggered

Terrain

Start Zone Slope Angle:

40degrees

Aspect:

Northeast

Starting Elevation:

above-treeline

Size

Destructive Size:

D2 Could bury, injure, or kill a person.

Relative Size:

R2 Small

Crown Height:

Less than 1 ft

Avalanche Width (Average width):

100ft.

Avalanche Length (Vertical Run):

200ft.

People Involved

Number of people caught:

Number of partial burials:

Number of full burials:

Weather Details

Elevation of Observation:

Above 9000 ft.

Blowing Snow:

None

Wind Speed:

Calm

Sky Cover:

Clear

Precipitation:

None

Air temperature:

Below Freezing

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